Lost
by battousaichick
Summary: The Sequel to 'Oh Brother' Sometimes our past comes back to haunt us, sometimes things happen that are out of our control, and sometimes you just feel lost. Rated for violence in some chapters, see my bio for info on chapter updates COMPLETE! Epilogue is
1. chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own the series or any money so please don't sue!!!  
  
A/N: Well here we are, the sequel to 'Oh brother' Don't read this story unless you have read 'Oh brother' other wise you will be completely and utterly confused (No I'm not joking either).  
  
This story is rated R for violence foul language and I dunno maybe a lemon or lime (the key word is maybe though)  
  
But anywho on with the story!

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** LOST**

Outside the air was filled with the cold scent of winter as it slowly crept through the Kamiya Dojo. Inside three bodies seemed to be sleeping. Or at least until that silence of the night was broken by a piercing cry.  
  
"Mflphafufu..." Kaoru moaned into her pillow when she heard the ear splitting cry, it was no doubt her son no one else had lungs like that. She rolled over and looked at her slumbering husband who was conveniently pretending to be asleep. No one could sleep through that. She shot him an icy look before shuffled to the other side of the room where her son lay crying.  
  
"What's wrong Kenji?" She whispered softly as she picked him up, almost automatically he latched to her breast and started to eat greedily. She winced at the sudden action; 'I am never gonna get used to this' Kaoru sighed. She had the sum total of four hours of sleep in the last three day. Kenshin wasn't much help, he had pretended not to hear Kenji cry before, and once or twice she had kicked him during his feigned sleep, on accident of course.  
  
She felt exhaustion take over and she began to sway as she held her suckling baby in her arms. 'I have to stay awake...I must not fall asleep...' she yawned as she thought this her eyes started to become heavier as she became dangerously close to falling back to sleep while she was standing up. That was until she found herself being supported by two arms that wrapped around hers as she held Kenji.  
  
"You look dead on your feet." Whispered a husky voice into her ear.  
  
"I love you too" She said sarcastically.  
  
Kenshin kissed the nape of her neck making her shudder. "Of course I love you," He whispered softly.  
  
Kaoru smiled devilishly "Good to know, maybe you should get up the next time Kenji cries."  
  
"Yeah I'll do that..." He purred into her ear.  
  
Kaoru laughed but she didn't hear what he said next though, she had fallen asleep standing up.  
  
Kenshin smiled at the sight, Kenji had soon fallen asleep as well and they both lay (well stood in Kaoru's case) in his protective grasp.  
  
Morning shone peacefully on the dojo and Kenshin awoke silently making sure to not wake Kaoru. He felt a little guilty that he had had a near full nights sleep (well for him that is) and Kaoru had the sum total of three hours. He made his way to the kitchen and started to start breakfast and his other morning chores before anyone came over. He expected Yahiko would arrive early from Ruffian Row as he always did for his free meal. The boy was turning out to be more and more like a certain rooster head every day. Kenshin lightly hummed as he started to chop vegetables and other ingredients.  
  
"Don't you look down right cute working on breakfast." Kaoru joked as she stood in the kitchen door holding their redheaded baby.  
  
"Did I wake you? I was trying to let you sleep-" Kenshin squeaked not expecting her up so early.  
  
She shook her head, "No someone was hungry, and I thought it wouldn't be good if I slept too late, I still have a class to teach." Kaoru shifted Kenji in her arms as he made a gurgling sound.  
  
It had taken awhile but now the Dojo seemed to be on the right track it had least twelve hard working students. Though Kaoru didn't always teach classes anymore, as a matter of fact Yahiko taught most of the classes but since he was fourteen and had only just recently received his title as adjutant master she was easing him into the roll of teaching.  
  
"Kaoru I-" Kenshin started only to be interrupted by Yahiko  
  
"Is breakfast ready!?" Yahiko bounded into the kitchen looking from Kaoru to Kenshin.  
  
Kenshin smiled at the enthusiastic boy "Almost."  
  
"Good 'cause I'm starving!"  
  
"Yeah because you are just so starved aren't you?" Kaoru said sarcastically.  
  
Yahiko grinned at her, "Well with your cooking-"  
  
"Yahiko you are just lucky I have Kenji in my arms otherwise I would beat you into the ground." She interjected  
  
"Sure you would Busu."  
  
Kaoru's eye twitched, "Kenshin hold Kenji." She passed their son off to him, she had struck so fast that she managed to hit Yahiko on the head several times before he had time to get away.  
  
Before Yahiko could open his mouth Kenshin intervened "Breakfast is ready!"  
  
Yahiko's face brightened as he decided not to say anymore; he sat down and was automatically scarfing down what was put in front of him and then helped himself to seconds.  
  
After breakfast Kenshin proceeded to do laundry with Kenji strapped to his back as Kaoru got ready to teach her students.  
  
Kaoru walked out of the bath house wearing her training gi and bokken at her side, she walked up to Kenshin who was hanging up her favorite kimono to dry.  
  
Unexpectedly Kenshin turned around and grabbed Kaoru around the waist catching her by surprise with his sudden embrace. She responded by throwing her arms around his neck (this was obviously a daily routine). Kenshin went to say something but Kaoru hushed him and pointed to Kenji.  
  
"You'll wake him up." She whispered to him before she kissed his lips lightly, before she deepened the kiss more passionately delving her tongue into his mouth tasting him all over again. Kenshin's hand traveled from the small of her back up to her hair and he combed his hand through her dark tresses, the overwhelming sent of jasmine was intoxicating him.  
  
Kaoru smiled devilishly, "That is only a taste, but you are going to have to wait to have your dessert later;" She whispered in his ear before taking a step back.  
  
Kenshin growled possessively as specks of amber flashed lustfully in his eyes. All that succeeded in was a small giggle of delight from Kaoru, for some reason she liked to get him flustered, and today was no different.  
  
Kenshin's grip on her waist tightened and he pulled her close once more, "You naughty girl you might need to be taught a lesson." Kenshin growled before attacking her neck.  
  
Kaoru laughed with delight, but she stopped when she saw that one of her students ran towards her looking stricken. "What's the matter?"  
  
"It's Seiju- he's acting really strange, and he has a... a real sword... he is babbling things that make no sense..." The student seemed to be almost mouse like and timid.  
  
Kaoru's eye's flashed over the boys head towards the training hall as she got a serious de-ja-vu feeling. She started to walk towards the Dojo but she was stopped by a hand closing around her wrist. She turned to look at her husband who was holding her back. "Kenshin, I know." She gave him a faint smile before walking on.  
  
"Fools you are all fools!" Seiju laughed maniacally as he brandished the Katana in his hands. A group of very frightened looking students all huddled around each other as they looked at the crazed boy.  
  
"Seiju!" Kaoru said sternly from the door of the dojo with the little that had boy at her heals, "What are you doing with that blade? You know it is forbidden in this school!" Her voice was firm and her posture strong as she stared down at the young man in front of her.  
  
"Only fools would fight believing in 'Katsujin-ken' it is foolish and you know it!" The boy spat at Kaoru. ((A/N: Katsujin-ken means 'the sword that gives life'))  
  
"Is it now?" Kaoru said softly. "Seiju, do you really want to be expelled from here that much?"  
  
"His lordship will return, you know it, and he will prove that your ways are nothing more than an idealistic dream!" The boy shouted as he charged Kaoru.  
  
Kaoru went icy cold at the boys statement but that did not stop her, she dodged his mislaid attack and brought her bokken down across his back. The boy turned around and charged again, this time she connected with his sword hand incapacitating it.  
  
The boy dropped the katana grasping hold of his hand and looked at Kaoru in utter shock, 'How could this be possible?'  
  
"Never will you be able to hold a sword with that hand again," Kaoru's voice was laced with venom no one had ever seen her like this. "Leave this place you are expelled from my school." The boy cradled his hand and got up to leave. He was going to pick up the katana but Kaoru stopped him. "You have no need for it, leave it and this place." Her tone was dangerous; he did not dare go against what she said at this point.  
  
Kenshin did not see what transpired in the dojo, he trusted Kaoru and trusted that she would be all right. He did notice that Seiju walked out of the dojo cradling his sword arm and what seemed his diminished pride had left with the use of his hand. Kenshin had an eerie feeling that this was not the last time they would see this boy.  
  
Kaoru turned to her class. This time was as good as any, she took a deep breath. "Line up!"  
  
Everyone in the class obeyed her and lined up into their rows one spot was empty. Kaoru glanced over to that spot and sighed. They all stood fear ebbing they had never seen Kaoru filled with such an icy demeanor before.  
  
"Do any of you know why this dojo prohibits the use of a real sword?" her tone was still icy as she said this. No one answered, they where to afraid. She continued. "To fight, not kill, to protect, not murder. That was the bases of my father's ideals." She looked around the room all eye's where on her; all where hanging off of her every word. "He wanted to bring a technique into this world that would protect others without killing the oppressor. Do you know why?"  
  
Again there was a silence that was only punctuated by the sound of a bird outside.  
  
Kaoru continued. "Killing does no one any good, it creates a weight on the killers heart, and well do I even need to speak of the killed?" Her voice seemed to soften.  
  
"I trust each and every one of you with my father's gift, the ability to protect others without the burden that the real sword creates. Some people do not understand this gift, and they become weak and events transpire just like they did today. Do you understand?"  
  
Everyone answered in agreement.  
  
"Good. Class is over for today, but I do want you all to practice tonight do you understand me? And trust me I will know if you didn't;" Everyone answered in agreement once again, and they all shuffled out in what seemed like an orderly fashion.  
  
Kaoru stood alone in the dojo as she looked around she picked up the discarded katana and decided to put it in the shed for the time being before she could decide how to get rid of it properly. She put it in its sheath and as she clasped it closed she thought of what Seiju had said. 'He said 'his lord' could he have meant... no it couldn't be... he was locked away he was in jail can't reach a single human.' She tried to shove the thought out of her mind. 'Should I tell Kenshin?' she shook her head, 'I don't need to worry him over nothing.' Kaoru stood up and walked out of the quiet dojo looking back at the twelve name tags 'I should remove his... I'll do it later I have more important things to do.' She glanced down at the boy's katana that was in her hand.  
  
To be continued...

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A/N: Well there is the first chapter of the story what did you think? I know I had some seriously fluffy parts in it. Please review!  
  
Yahiko: yeah just a few  
  
Battosaichick: ah be quiet Yahiko-chan otherwise I'll write something about you and Tsubame in the next chapter.  
  
Yahiko: You wouldn't  
  
BC: Wanna bet  
  
Yahiko: Do I look like Sano? (Sanosuke: Hey!)  
  
BC: ... Well until next time waves


	2. chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own don't sue!  
  
A/N: Thank you all who reviewed, and here is the next chapter to Lost.  
  
I forgot to say this on the last chapter: Flames will be used to roast marshmallows!  
  
Now on with the story!

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Kaoru walked into the Dojo the day after Seiju's stunt and removed his nametag from the walls and went to cross out his name in the records. 'He had so much potential...' Kaoru sighed as she discarded his nametag.  
  
She wandered the halls of her home until she got to the kitchen where she found her red-headed baby sitting on the counter playing with a carrot while her red-headed husband chopped another one. She quirked a smile, she couldn't help but feel so lucky, in that moment she found simple joy and contentment just watching them. But all good things come to an end.  
  
"Hey Busu what are you staring at?" Yahiko said bounding through the door.  
  
"When are you ever going to learn proper respect for your Sensei?" Kaoru yelled cuffing the poor boy in the head.  
  
"When she stops hitting me over the head!"  
  
Kaoru felt a spasm of anger fill her but she suppressed it and patted the boy on the head and spoke in an overly sweet tone, "You know your right I should stop being so mean."  
  
It was then that the whole world stopped, Kenshin who was enjoying their little argument dropped his knife and turned to face Kaoru, "Koishii are you feeling well?"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean Kenshin!?" Her rage turned on him and it was then that he realized that he had made a mistake.  
  
Kenshin was at a loss so he just squeaked a feeble "Oro"  
  
"Now as I was saying" Kaoru rounded on Yahiko still speaking and acting too sweet to be convincing, "I should stop being mean to you Yahiko, I should start respecting you for the young man you are."  
  
"Yes?" Yahiko was confused.  
  
"Yes, so as a young man I think that you should stop being a freeloader and find your own food!" Kaoru's tone took a vicious turn.  
  
'That sound's more like my Kaoru,' Kenshin thought. 'For a minuet there I thought she was pregnant again,' Kenshin shuddered, he didn't think he could live through another pregnancy like Kenji's. The bakamatsu had prepared him for many things that he would face in life but not that, the last three months before the birth where full of hormonal imbalances and cravings (and a lot of other things that will go unmentioned). He still had scars from the time that she took a violent turn, he had never been that afraid in a very long time.  
  
- - -  
  
That night Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko and Kenji (who was asleep in Yahiko's lap) where all relaxing after a well prepared dinner by Kenshin when without warning Sanosuke came barreling into the dojo and hid in a closet.  
  
"SANOSUKE!" Kaoru shrieked taken aback by his sudden appearance.  
  
"Be quiet Jou-chan, I don't want the police to find me!" Sanosuke's voice whispered from the closet.  
  
"There still after you?" Yahiko asked trying to stifle a laugh.  
  
Yahiko's question was answered when Police Chief Uramura walked into the dojo, "I'm sorry to disturb you Mr. Himura we have followed the fugitive Sagara Sanosuke into this Dojo..." the chief looked around the room and then at the closet and saw a red head band sticking out. He smiled and winked at the three people sitting before him, "I see that he is not here, I guess we shall resume our search else where, once again my apologies." He then turned and left.  
  
"Well at least someone is on his side." Yahiko said under his breath.  
  
"You can come out of hiding Sano," Kaoru sighed.  
  
Sanosuke fell out of the closet, "Well that was easy," he smiled smugly "Hey Jou-chan do you have any sake?"  
  
She hit him with the closest thing to her (which happened to be a vase) "No I do not! I do not keep alcohol in this house where my child might reach it!" Kaoru was mad, but she was still glad to see her friend again.  
  
"Child?" Sanosuke blinked and then looked around and saw Kenji sleeping on Yahiko's lap one glance and Sanosuke smiled, "Good job Kenshin!"  
  
"Oro?" Kenshin's face turned a slight shade of red but it was not as red as Kaoru's, but then again her face was red out of rage rather than embarrassment.  
  
"So where have you been all this time?" Yahiko asked looking at the ex-gangster.  
  
"Here and there, I actually just came back from America man the women there are..."  
  
"Sanosuke!" Kaoru covered his mouth before he could say another word. "I have a baby, and Yahiko does not need to hear any of that talk!"  
  
"Oh Jou-chan, Yahiko is hardly a child anymore, and it isn't like the baby is going to be phased..." he begged  
  
"No!"  
  
"So Kenshin I'll tell you later."  
  
Kenshin gave his friend his clueless rurouni smile. This wasn't a topic he wanted to discuss with his friend, ever.  
  
Kaoru was fuming. Poor Sanosuke didn't even see it coming, one minuet he was joking around, the next thing he remembered he was face first on the floor with Kaoru hitting him repetitively over the head with her bokken. She only stopped when her son started crying.  
  
"Man Jou-chan I forgot how hard you could hit!" Sanosuke rubbed his head before he whispered to Kenshin, "And you married her? You have guts."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean Sano?" Sanosuke had forgotten about Kaoru's hearing as well. It was lucky for him that she was holding Kenji this time, and couldn't smack him around.  
  
"So brat my long house still available?"  
  
"No" Yahiko replied simply before he stood up.  
  
"No what do you mean 'no'?"  
  
"I mean No, I live there now, you said I could have it and there is no way I am letting you stay there." Yahiko left before Sanosuke could beg him.  
  
"So Kenshin buddy, do you have an extra room?"  
  
"Ahem, it is my house and who said I would let you stay here?" Kaoru arched an eyebrow and looked at the rooster-head.  
  
"Please Jou-chan please?" Sanosuke looked at her with fake sad eye's.  
  
"You're pathetic Sano." She looked at the helpless looking man in front of her. "I'm going to bed."  
  
"So Kenshin about those American women..."  
  
"Kenshin are you coming or not!" Kaoru yelled from down the hall.  
  
"Never mind... Good night Kenshin." Sanosuke left and went to Yahiko's old room to sleep. He would try and convince the little brat to give him his old room back tomorrow if it was the last thing he did.  
  
- - -  
  
It took nearly a week but Sano finally convinced Yahiko to at least share the long house (it was more like Kaoru paid Yahiko to take him in) and it seemed that everything was going back to normal at the Dojo.  
  
Kenshin had left to go to Kyoto to pay a requested visit too their friends at the Aoiya, and to visit Tomoe's grave. Kaoru unwillingly chose to stay at the dojo, she couldn't leave Kenji alone and he was too young to travel to Kyoto.  
  
"Geeze Jou-chan, I thought becoming a mother would teach you to cook better!" Sanosuke said he was sitting in the kitchen holding Kenji who was trying to swat at his fish bone that was hanging at the corner of his mouth.  
  
"I would be quiet if I where you, I am letting you eat here for free."  
  
Sano muttered something under his breath about rather wanting to starve.  
  
Yahiko gritted his teeth as he ate but he didn't say anything, he knew that he would get fed at the Akabeko. Then a thought crossed his mind, "You know Sano you have a large tab at the Akabeko...Tae's been adding interest ever since you left, you know I bet if you work for her you could pay off your debt."  
  
Kaoru broke out into fits of laughter. "Sano doing honest work, when hell freezes over!" she snorted before laughing again.  
  
"That's not a bad idea brat." Sano stated truthfully as Kenji grabbed his fish bone.  
  
When Kaoru heard this she gasped and accidentally dropped her knife into the miso soup.  
  
"What? Why are you looking so shocked Jou-chan?" Sano said pulling his fish bone out of Kenji's grasp and putting the end back into his mouth.  
  
"I-I...It's just that..." words failed Kaoru and she sat down and ate her meal in silence.  
  
After breakfast Yahiko and Sano left to the Akabeko to work, (try to get work in Sanosuke's case) leaving Kaoru and Kenji alone in the dojo.  
  
"So Kenji what do you want to do?" Kaoru asked her baby, who put his pudgy little hands on her cheek and cooed. Kaoru smiled at his response. "Yes I do think you need a nap while I clean the dojo." Kaoru walked over to her room and picked up a blanket and placed the blanket on the dojo floor, and as soon as she lay Kenji down, he seemed to fall instantly asleep. She smiled 'now if he only slept like during the night.'  
  
Kaoru went to work cleaning the floor when she felt a shiver go down her spine. She looked around she had the eerie feeling that she was being watched, but she shook it off. She started to clean the walls when she felt the feeling again, and she looked around no one was there. She shrugged it off once again 'I'm getting paranoid.'  
  
Kaoru accidentally dropped her rag and went to pick it up; the next thing that she would remember was a searing pain and a consuming darkness.  
  
To be continued...

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A/N: I know I'm evil but I can't help it If I went on this chapter would be way to long and the next one would be way to short. If you review I will update fast promise.  
  
I know that I made Sanosuke appear way too early (if you read the manga you know what I'm talking about) but ya know it just works better with him around.   
  
Yahiko: Yeah but why do I have to share the long house with him?  
  
BC: Would you rather move back to the dojo? Sano and the long house just fit together so don't you argue with me Yahiko-chan!  
  
Yahiko: Don't call me chan!  
  
BC: Well until next time (waves) 


	3. chapter 3

A/N: Thank you everyone who reviewed, a special thanks to animegurl-23 for not giving up, (sorry it took so long I was gone all week )  
  
I finally got enough money to buy my own copy of Reflection (I wanna cry, it's so sad T.T), after watching it and then looking back on my fic, I just want you all to realize that I am basing this story mainly off of the manga (except for the whole Gohei thing but I find it works better basing it off of the anime for that part.) maybe I should have said this sooner but oh well does it really matter at this point? anyway enough with my useless babble, on with the story!

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LAST TIME:  
  
Kaoru went to the training hall and started to clean it when she felt a shiver go down her spine. She looked around she had the eerie feeling that she was being watched. She started to clean the walls when she felt the feeling again and she looked around and no one was there. She shrugged it off 'I'm getting paranoid.'  
  
Kaoru dropped her rag and went to pick it up, the next thing she remembered was a searing pain in the back of her head, and darkness....  
  
- - - - - - - - - -  
  
It took her a while to gain her senses of reality back, but Kaoru forced herself out of the darkness, adapting herself to her regained consciousness. It was then that she realized that three men were looking down upon her, and that she was lying face down on the floor of her dojo.  
  
"So this is the one? Not much of a fighter." Laughed one of the men.  
  
"His lordship told us not to underestimate her," Chimed a second voice "Well it seems that he was wrong wouldn't you say?" Kaoru then heard three men laughing, her stomach churned, what was going on?  
  
"Hey look she's awake." Kaoru felt another searing pain shoot through her head as she felt her body leave the ground as she was lifted up by her ponytail. "Well, well missy, good morning." Chortled the biggest, ugliest, and meanest looking of the men.  
  
Kaoru looked up at the man with utmost hatred. As he twisted her hair around so she could face him, she glanced over where Kenji was supposed to be asleep, but he wasn't there, the place that he once slept was nothing more than a pool of blood, but there was no Kenji.  
  
"Where's my son?" Her voice had become deathly low as she felt her heart drop.  
  
The man holding up her just smiled, "Not here... I think you know what I mean, you're a bright girl. It's something about seeing the life sucked out of a child that brings me back to the old days..."  
  
"NO!" Kaoru yelled in disbelief as she kicked out at the man as hard as she could and connected with his stomach. She was dropped to the ground she scrambled to run but someone had grabbed her upper arm and she felt her body forced against the wall with a heavy force.  
  
"Bitch" The man she had kicked stood up and looked at his two comrades "Leave, I can finish this on my own, tell Lord Subaru that the Kamiya line exists no more." The large man gazed at Kaoru with look of pure blood lusting in his eyes. The two other men left the dojo without another word.  
  
Kaoru tried to stand up but her body was still jumbled, 'Have I become that pathetic? I can't give up, not yet.' she grabbed the closest thing to brace her as she stood up; she grabbed the rack holding all of the training bokkens.  
  
Training bokkens...  
  
"You don't think you can defend yourself with that do you?" The man laughed catching on to her idea.  
  
Kaoru didn't say anything, at that moment her only concern was to stay alive and find her son, 'Why does this always happen when I am alone?'  
  
She charged the man; that was a mistake. The next thing she knew he had a hold of her wrist and she found herself slammed against the wall once again; a shooting pain went down her left arm as its shoulder dislocated with a sickening pop.  
  
"Tsk tsk Kamiya bird, your little sword tricks don't work on me." The man held her down with the force of his one hand. "So tell me, before you die, would you like me to tell you how I gutted your brat as well?" The man sneered not waiting for her answer (not that he needed), "Where to begin? It was quite gruesome actually, but the little brat didn't even cry, not even when I-"  
  
Kaoru kicked up at him once again but missed the man as he dodged. "You cold heartless bastard- you didn't kill my son! Do you expect me to play along with your sick and twisted games?!"  
  
"Now I'm cross," he teased "but you see games are fun, and I am going to continue mine." The man drew his dagger, "But yes I did kill your son, see that blood that is all that is left of him after I threw his little body into the river..."  
  
Kaoru felt her body go numb as she listened to his disgusting story, she clenched her fist ready to deck him.  
  
Without warning he charged Kaoru, she dodge-rolled out of his path and ran but fell once again, a burning pain sliced through her back. Kaoru rolled from her stomach, if the man was going to slice her open she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of stabbing her in the back. The man sat on her stomach making her wince with the pressure it put on her. She struggled to throw him off but to no avail.  
  
"What's the matter can't move?" He mocked. He grabbed her right arm and thrusted her against the corner of the dojo pinning her between him and the wall once again. "This is for Seiju" She knew what he was going to do seconds before he did it and didn't even try to stop him, Kaoru watched as the man pulled out a dagger and pierced through her right hand holding her to the wall. She couldn't move, not only was she held fast to the wall, she had been hit in the head to many times and her vision began to swim as her temples throbbed.  
  
"Where's my son?" Kaoru mumbled incoherently unable to really move.  
  
"A persistent one aren't you?" The man looked at her limp body hanging to the wall like some rag doll hung to dry. "His blood spilled so beautifully, to bad you didn't see it... your silly sword technique could not save him, looks like you have failed to protect. You have disgraced the name of your school, of your precious Katsujin-ken philosophy, some master you are, you couldn't even save your own child. What will that husband of yours think?"  
  
Kaoru let her head sink, she had already known this, the moment she looked over were Kenji was supposed to be, she knew that she had betrayed everything she was taught and lived for, she had been telling herself so ever since. 'Kenshin forgive me...'  
  
Then the worse of her physical pain happened as she finished her musing, something moved slowly through her soft belly her head jerked up in pain. She let her head fall with morbid curiosity over this new painful sensation. She saw the sword that the man must have concealed slowly going through her soft flesh, and then without warning he wrenched it out.  
  
The man's face got close to hers and he whispered into her ear, "Have fun bleeding to death, have fun soiling your little dojo even further. When you're burning in hell say hi to your brother and that spawn of yours for me." She heard the shoji close, and the sound of his footfalls fade.  
  
Tears fell from Kaoru's face. She knew she couldn't die, but at that moment she didn't want to live either, but something told her she had to live. With the last vestiges of her strength she pulled out the dagger in her right hand and fell to the ground basking for a moment in the little crimson pool her body had created. She struggled but she drug herself over to where her child once lay; hoping maybe that he was just hiding in that dark stain. In the pool of blood lay his now torn blanket, evidence of the suffering he must have endured; endured because of her... She held it close to her heart and started to cry.  
  
- - -  
  
It was late before Yahiko and Sanosuke made there way home from the Akabeko. The stars were already out and the moon was high in the sky; they where headed towards the Dojo to bring Kaoru some food from Tae.  
  
"I have never worked that hard in my life!" Sano sighed as he stretched.  
  
"It's not like you did much, all you did was carry boxes, I would think after being a fighter-for-hire and all this would be easy for you! besides I had the hard job of cleaning the place!"  
  
"I haven't done that in a long time, besides why is it that you will clean at the Akabeko but not at the Dojo, isn't the dojo easier to clean?"  
  
"Yes, but I still like getting Kaoru mad."  
  
"You're insane," Sanosuke laughed as they entered the dojo gate.  
  
"Yeah well...Hey Sano what are you doing?" Sanosuke had put his hand in front of Yahiko and was sniffing the air.  
  
"Do you smell that?"  
  
"Smell what?" Yahiko looked at Sanosuke curiously.  
  
"Blood... Stay there." Sanosuke walked into the dojo leaving Yahiko outside. "Jou-chan!" he called through the halls. "Jou-chan where are you?" He slid open the shoji for the training hall "Jou- WHAT THE HELL!!"  
  
Yahiko didn't need to hear any more, he ran in after Sanosuke and saw what he was looking at, the training hall was covered in blood but no one was there.  
  
"Shit." Yahiko cursed under his breath taking in the sight. "Sano look there, footprints, they have to be Kaoru's." Sanosuke nodded and they followed them out of the dojo but soon they disappeared when they got to the dirt road.  
  
"She had to have gone this way, I am going to go look, You send a letter to Kenshin to get back here," Sanosuke commanded.  
  
Yahiko didn't argue, "Sano...there's so much blood you don't think...?"  
  
"No!" Sanosuke said quickly getting shoving any idea of Kaoru dead out of his head "Don't you either you hear me?! Just get to work on that letter and stay at the dojo, I'll come back for you."  
  
Yahiko went down the hall to write the letter, what was he to say? Could Kenshin get the letter soon enough? Would he blame them for not being there for Kaoru? And where was Kenji?  
  
What happened here?  
  
- - -  
  
KYOTO:  
  
Kenshin had arrived only the day before late in the evening, but that didn't matter he was up early anyway. He snuck out of the Aoiya as the sun had begun to rise over the horizon. He walked through the town carrying a single beautiful flower and entered a graveyard and walked up to a single solemn grave, a hairpin was still sitting in silent offering, but now it also had another flower along with it. 'I wonder who else has visited you lately.' He set the flower down and prayed silently.  
  
"Well if it isn't my idiot apprentice" It was Sejirou Hiko.  
  
"Master!" The sound of that voice behind him had made Kenshin jump.  
  
"Come let's have a drink, I have just bought some fine sake." He held up a gourd, his nose was already tinged red, he had obviously consumed some as well as bought it.  
  
Kenshin didn't disagree he was afraid of being cuffed upside the head if he didn't.  
  
"Himura!" This time it was Misao, she was running up to him a panicked look on her face, "Himura, Okina needs to speak to you he said it was urgent-" She huffed running up to him.  
  
"What is it?" Kenshin said looking curiously at the worried young lady. 'Do people have respect for a praying man?' He sighed inwardly knowing he would have to leave.  
  
"He didn't say, but he looked really serious and said for you to come now. I haven't seen him look that serious in... well... in a long time."  
  
Kenshin nodded, "Another time master?" Hiko just nodded and drank deeply from his gourd. Kenshin followed Misao 'I'm so sorry Tomoe; I'll come back soon...'  
  
Misao seemed to pick up her pace again she seemed anxious to get back to the Inn. 'Why would Okina send for me this early in the morning, and today at that? He knew what I would be doing.' A foreboding feeling filled him and he quickened his pace towards the Inn as well.  
  
"Ah Himura, please sit down." Okina motioned for the spot across from him. "You probably wondered why I called you here at this time, and on this day," He seemed to act graver than he usually would.  
  
"It crossed my mind."  
  
"Have you ever heard of a man named Subaru? He has no last name...none that we could find that is..." ((A/N: Yeah kinda like Cher or Madonna))  
  
His eyes narrowed he knew Subaru alright.  
  
"Judging by your expression that would be a yes." Okina sighed "Then you know about his army...cult following I should say but it is all the same when it concerns him-"  
  
"Army?" Kenshin raised an eyebrow, "But he was locked away, and his followers disbanded."  
  
"Hardly, our government is corrupt, you should know this. Money will get you anywhere." Okina was looking more serious now than ever, "Things have come to my attention, you may know this already but Subaru has some sort of vendetta against the Kamiya line and is seeking some sort of revenge on Kaoru, or her family more like. I would seriously think on going back to Tokyo as soon as possible. Before it is to late for her, you never know what a man like Subaru will do."  
  
"Okina, how do you know this?" Kenshin asked, 'if Subaru had been freed all this time then he was just waiting for an opportunity like this.' Kenshin cursed himself for leaving Kaoru. 'At least she has Sano and Yahiko there with her.'  
  
Okina just looked at him, "Because we have connections everywhere, and one can't move in the shadows without hearing things." ((A/N: I just noticed I use this line in every story ;;))  
  
Kenshin nodded before standing up, "It looks like my visit has been cut short, I am sorry, maybe we can all come back, I think Miss Misao would love to meet Kenji."  
  
"Ooo Himura can I come with you?" Misao bounded into the room upon hearing her name.  
  
"Misao, you have stuff to do here and Himura has something important to do. He doesn't need to be slowed down." Okina said.  
  
Kenshin couldn't express his gratitude, he didn't want to be rude to the girl but he had to leave fast. He knew that she wouldn't be able to catch up.  
  
"So you better take your leave."  
  
Kenshin nodded and was soon on his way back. 'I hope I make it in time...'  
  
- - -  
  
Outside of Tokyo on a dirt road as the smallest bit of morning shone across the horizon a weary Kaoru stumbled her way to a destination she did not know, she seemed to be lead there by an invisible force. She still clutched onto the remains of the blanket that she carried with her, it was all she had left and she would never let it go. She found herself in front of a place that seemed unwelcoming. It was a place that had an array of shambled makeshift buildings and filled with people with no destination in their lives, people who wished to abandon reality.  
  
This place was known as Rakuninmura.  
  
Kaoru walked past the hapless men who were awestruck and gazed at her with utter confusion, what was this woman doing here? Kaoru stopped in front of a stone wall and the person sitting against it. The person looked up his white hair was covered with dust and he held a small diary.  
  
"Is this place taken?" She asked in a monotone voice looking at the spot next to him.  
  
He didn't answer but just looked at her with bewilderment as she set herself down looking at the blanket in her hands letting the pain and sorrow consume her body entirely.  
  
To be continued...

* * *

A/N: Bet you didn't see Kaoru going to Rakuninmura did you? ;;  
  
Now I have typed over half of this story ((typed not uploaded)), and I want your opinion, on this  
  
Please vote A, B, or C for this question.  
  
What should happen to Subaru? Should he:  
  
Die at the hands of a character ((which I won't name ::grins evilly::))  
  
Live but spend the rest of his pathetic days in some cold jail cell in Hokkaido ((ok so I like sending people there, is that so bad?))  
  
Other, please explain.  
  
Example: "Put him in a circular room and force him to watch pokemon over and over and over..."  
  
I am at a loss at what to do with the cult building little prick so if you have an idea please share, I like hearing ideas. 


	4. chapter 4

A/N: Well here I am again with a new chapter to my story thank you all who reviewed! Looks like a lot of you want Subaru dead ne? good... now I have a plan bwahahahaha!!! (you should be afraid a scheming Battosaichick, is as bad as a scheming Tanuki XD)

* * *

The night rolled by and morning had spread across the horizon line. Sanosuke had had no luck of finding Kaoru he had searched all of Tokyo. He had come to the conclusion that she may have been kidnapped and Kenji too, but all that blood what was it from? They couldn't have...  
  
"Giving up already moron?" Said a drawling voice from behind him.  
  
"Saitou" Sanosuke's words where full of venom as he turned around to face the Mibu wolf behind him.  
  
"Have you given up on looking for the raccoon already?"  
  
"And what would you know about any of this?" Sano said he really did hate Saitou sometimes.  
  
"I know that she is in Rakuninmura as we speak, and I know..."  
  
"Ok so you know stuff... wait she's where?" Sanosuke realized the word 'Rakuninmura' and his heart jumped. He turned and ran to get Yahiko before Saitou could finish what he was saying.  
  
"Idiot," Saitou sneered, 'Oh well, let him figure it out himself.' A small evil grin plastered itself on Saitou's face, 'Let's see how long it take's you Battousai.'  
  
- - -  
  
Sanosuke barreled into the Dojo, "Hey kid," he shook a sleeping Yahiko awake. "I found where Jou-chan is."  
  
With those words Yahiko woke up completely, "Where are we headed?" he asked moments later running after the ex-gangster.  
  
"Rakuninmura" And with that Yahiko stopped dead in his tracks.  
  
"Wait, Rakuninmura that's..."  
  
"I know, but the question is why." Sanosuke stopped only for a moment to say this  
  
"You don't think something happened?" Yahiko ran after him, still reeling from the fact that Kaoru would have gone there of all places.  
  
"Well I think it's obvious that something happened. But what?" Sanosuke said as they made there way down the road.  
  
- - -  
  
Thoughts filled Kaoru, feelings that she had tried to stifle since she had lost her brother. She was consumed by her emotions and she was drowning in them. It didn't even bother her who she was sitting next to, or the fact that all the residence of the shambled little town (if you could call it that) where looking at her.  
  
An old man sat down next to her, "It's hard losing someone close to you, especially your child." The old man said nonchalantly.  
  
Kaoru shifted uncomfortably, this is not what she wanted to listen to now, but it wasn't like she had a choice so she hung her head down and listened to the man anyway.  
  
"Ahh I see this is not something you want to hear, please forgive an old man for his babbling, I guess that is why they call me Oibore."  
  
Kaoru smiled a little and she closed her eyes once again as the old man got up to leave. "Wait," Kaoru whispered and the man Oibore sat down once again. "I'm not one to stop you." Kaoru sighed and thought to herself, 'I probably deserve the pain that will come along with your words old man, so go ahead and say them.'  
  
"You look starved, eat this." He handed her a pouch that had some rice balls in it.  
  
Kaoru looked at it, 'Do I deserve this food? Do I even deserve to be here, to hear what this man has to say even if it is 'babble' as he puts it?'  
  
"I'm not hungry sir, thank you." she handed it back.  
  
"You shouldn't lie to an old man... But anyway, as I was saying; The hardest thing in life is losing your child, you created them, nurtured them, they hold a light, a purity within them that in their parents eyes can never be extinguished, even in death; because they are a piece of you and will remain as such. Forever. Pain dies away with time, and thing's aren't always as bad as they seem." Oibore stood up and was about to walk away.  
  
"You sound as if you speak from experience." Enishi spoke surprising Kaoru and Oibore both.  
  
Oibore smiled softly at the man sitting before him. "Or it could be the babble of a man getting on in years." He walked away singing a small tune over and over. "Oh well what the hell. Oh well what the hell..."  
  
- - -  
  
It was mid-morning by the time Sanosuke and Yahiko reached Rakuninmura. Sanosuke ran into the gates and ran a few paces before he put his hand up to stop Yahiko. "This isn't good."  
  
"What are you talking about Sano, why did you stop?"  
  
"Look who Jou-chan is next to."  
  
Yahiko looked from behind Sanosuke, "No way."  
  
"It's shades."  
  
"What's Enishi doing here?"  
  
"..."  
  
"What? We need to talk to her!"  
  
"Yeah I know, I was just thinking."  
  
"Well stop, I am going over there."  
  
"Yahiko wait." But Yahiko didn't listen running ahead before Sanosuke could stop him. "Damn it!"  
  
Yahiko stood in front of Kaoru who didn't even acknowledge that he was there.  
  
"Kaoru what happened? Where's Kenji?" Kaoru didn't answer she just held onto the blanket that was in her hand and hung her head lower.  
  
"Kaoru what happened!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and started to shake her to get her attention. It only produced a small whimper from her, so he shook her again; bad idea... Kaoru didn't respond but Enishi did. Before Yahiko knew what happened there was a sword between him and Kaoru.  
  
"Stop now." He said keeping his gaze fixed on a page in his sisters diary, "You're disturbing the silence."  
  
Yahiko looked at him in horror, he could have sworn that Enishi didn't have a sword anymore, 'but I guess anything can happen in three years.' He thought as he backed away from Kaoru who just slumped back against the wall.  
  
"Yahiko, let's go." Sano said standing quietly beside him.  
  
"What are you talking about we can't just leave her here!" Yahiko yelled and then he whispered to Sanosuke, "especially with Enishi right there!"  
  
"I know kid but there is no point, the best thing we can do now is wait for Kenshin to return, Kaoru's obviously not going anywhere."  
  
"I know Sano but..." Yahiko sighed he knew that Sanosuke was right. Yahiko looked back at Kaoru before he followed Sanosuke out of Rakuninmura.  
  
- - -  
  
In a way Kaoru was grateful towards Enishi, how could she tell her friends that she failed to protect Kenji? How could she tell them that she wasn't able to protect her family once again? She sighed.  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
Kaoru looked over shocked that Enishi was actually talking to her. She didn't answer just stared.  
  
"I know that you didn't lose the battousai, that's obvious."  
  
"Is it?" her voice was hollow and void of any emotion.  
  
"Yeah, you look more like you lost your own flesh and blood." He just looked at her and then back at the diary. Of course Enishi would notice that.  
  
"Your right, I did." Tears stung her eyes 'damn it I was hoping that I wouldn't cry again.'  
  
"Feel guilty don't you? like you couldn't do anything about it, your only family taken away by some cruel twist of fate and all you could do is sit there and watch it happen." He rubbed the corner of the diary idly as if to remove some dust before he continued. "It was an older sibling wasn't it?"  
  
Kaoru looked at him realizing that he knew what it was like, and in some twisted way they were connected by this. "And my son as well." She whispered almost inaudibly  
  
Enishi looked over at her, "The spawn of the battousai no doubt."  
  
"He has a name!" She snapped "His name is Kenji, use it, don't say the 'spawn of' he is human too!"  
  
"Was."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Was, he's dead, if he's dead he no longer exists there fore you say 'was'"  
  
"He exists, he is a part of me." Kaoru seethed remembering Oibore's words.  
  
Enishi smirked but said no more he just went on to look through the diary once more in silence.  
  
"It was my fault, my brother died because of me. And so did my son" She looked down at the blanket that she still feebly clutched onto as if it would bring her son back if she just kept a hold of it. "But you wouldn't want to listen to me talk, would you? I would just be 'disturbing the silence' as you put it."  
  
"Go ahead I have nothing better to do. I just wanted to get rid of that stupid rooster head and kid."  
  
Kaoru went on ignoring the last of his comment she didn't want to think about them right now and how ashamed they must be.  
  
For some reason she was telling him and she had no idea why. "I was in the way, he sacrificed himself to save me, my brother that is. I shouldn't have been there at all...it was just that I couldn't see him kill someone even though they deserved to die. I was selfish, I didn't want the burden on my conscious to have my brother soil his hands once more, but now because I was so selfish he's dead. I now have his blood on my hands." She let a silent tear roll down her cheek. "I was weak, I couldn't even protect my son when he needed me the most. I just lay there while his life drained away from him, I did nothing to save him..."  
  
"Stop blaming yourself, it's more pathetic than that inane husband of yours, he is your husband now right? It's not like you could do anything for your son correct?" Kaoru didn't answer him, she knew deep down he was right, but it was just easier to blame herself than come to terms with what actually happened.  
  
"And your brother, you did not wield the sword that killed him, so how could you say that your at fault? It doesn't make since."  
  
"So your saying that no matter what the person who deals the death blow is the only person at fault?" Kaoru eyed him "Even though it was, say an accident? Even though the person, who died did it out of love and they..." She had answered her own question, but she did not accept it. She got a reaction out of Enishi with her last statement though.  
  
"We are talking about you not me! Don't you dare start to analyze my past." She had touched a nerve and she knew it.  
  
"It was just something I was saying in passing; you don't have to be defensive about it." It was something about getting on people's nerves; she liked it to much to stop even when she was lost as she was. And with that a small glimmer of the shattered Kaoru started to slowly piece itself together, who would have thought that the one to help her would be someone who still was so broken himself.  
  
To be continued...

* * *

A/N: Enishi helping Kaoru find her way back to reality...what are your thought's on that one?  
  
Ok I couldn't help it I had to give Enishi a sword; I know his watou went bye bye, but it just didn't seem right that he didn't have one.  
  
Yahiko: Why so he could hack us to pieces? The guy's mental!  
  
Battosaichick: Can you blame him! Just look at his past!  
  
Yahiko: Yeah so? Kenshin isn't like that, Shades could still hack us to pieces!  
  
BC(brushes off comment): he's as harmless as a fly  
  
Yahiko: Yeah a fly who is mental and has a sword!  
  
BC: Just shut up Yahiko-chan!  
  
Yahiko: Don't call me Chan!  
  
BC: until next time ::waves:: 


	5. chapter 5

Disclaimer: ::laughs:: if you think I would be able to own Rurouni Kenshin then you need to recheck a few things, the series belongs to Watsuki-sensei and that's that!!  
  
A/N: I guess I should update seeing how it has been forever and a day since I last updated, sorry for taking so long! Oh and I am having a hard time with the theme of this story it really should be Action/Adventure Romance Angst but I am just gonna keep it as the first two (sorry if that is a problem for some of you) I just look at where this story is going and I think 'Gahh make up your mind!!'

* * *

Eight day's passed before Kenshin entered Tokyo. He was running across the bridge when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.  
  
"Hey Himura!"  
  
"Oro?"  
  
Kenshin turned around, it was Misao's voice, but how could she have made it there at the same time as him? He had run most of the way to Tokyo, how would it have been possible for her to make it at the same time? He turned around to see not only Misao but Aoshi as well.  
  
"You know you can get here faster if you take the train Himura?" Misao said smiling and bounding towards him.  
  
Kenshin nearly fell over, 'the train why didn't I think of that?!' he thought. 'Because you're an idiot with no money,' responded the battousai side matter-of-factly.  
  
"Why are you here anyway?" He asked trying to sound polite, but it just wasn't working, his mind was elsewhere at the moment.  
  
"Because of this." Misao handed Kenshin the letter written by Yahiko to him. At least, he thought it was Yahiko it was more legible than Sano's but not as clean as his wife's.  
  
"The letter got to us a day or so after you left, we came as soon as we could." Misao said trying to read Kenshin's reaction.  
  
Kenshin looked over the letter twice to make sure he was reading it correctly, then cursed himself, he knew it was stupid of him to leave Kaoru and Kenji alone, 'Why does this always happen!' Kenshin didn't even wait any longer, he ran off towards the dojo dropping the letter in the process.  
  
"Hey!" Misao said surprised by his sudden action.  
  
- - -  
  
Kenshin ran through the gates at a speed meant for the gods. The first place he went was the sitting room where he found Yahiko and Sanosuke sitting and talking somberly.  
  
"Kenshin, you got the letter?" It wasn't Sanosuke's normal tone it was more apologetic and serious than anything.  
  
"It met me on the way here." He looked from Yahiko to Sanosuke. "Where's Kaoru, and my son?"  
  
Yahiko cringed at his question he knew that he was going to ask it, but that didn't make things easier. "We found Kaoru, but to say we found her whole is something different." Yahiko felt a weight on his heart. Why did he have to be the one to tell him this?  
  
"And Kenji?" His voice was a little more forceful than he meant for it to be.  
  
Yahiko gulped at his tone and dodged his second question, "Ka-Kaoru's in Rakuninmura."  
  
Kenshin looked at the two as if it were a terrible joke. "What happened?"  
  
"Well that's part of the problem, we don't know what happened. We were working at the Akabeko-" Sano began.  
  
"Did I just hear right Rooster head was doing honest work?" Misao piped up as she walked into the kitchen with Aoshi right behind her.  
  
"Why do you guys have a hard time believing that!?"  
  
Kenshin ignored the side conversation, "Yahiko where is Kenji?" he looked into the boys eye's when he asked this a second time.  
  
"I...I don't know Kenshin, he's not with Kaoru and we can't get close enough to ask her what happened." Yahiko was shaking with frustration, the past week had start to put a major strain on his patients.  
  
Sano snorted "You can say that again, it's not like we haven't tried to ask her but hell, shades is sitting right next to her and won't let us get near her."  
  
"Enishi?" A whole new fear grasped at Kenshin, his wife was in the company of Enishi, the one who no more than three years ago kidnapped and faked her death for revenge on him. Sure he may not be a threat now but still he wasn't the most trust worthy person Kenshin has met.  
  
"Yeah, sitting in the same spot as you were, holdin' on to that diary." Yahiko shook his head, "He's a sad sight."  
  
Kenshin turned towards the door and went to leave the Dojo.  
  
"Where are you going?" Sanosuke asked.  
  
Without turning around to face his friends. "Subaru has returned, this time he is serious and will show no mercy, he is a larger threat now than before. He now has an army along with his delusions."  
  
Yahiko chocked on the rice-ball that he had just put in his mouth, "You can't be serious!"  
  
"What are you guys talking about?" Sanosuke scratched his head utterly clueless.  
  
"I'll tell you later" Yahiko said still reeling over what Kenshin just said. "But Kenshin how is it possible that he built his followers back up so fast? Weren't they all, arrested? And there where only like thirty how did he get enough for an army!?"  
  
"Fear" Aoshi interjected talking for the first time, "Fear makes you do anything, he probably brainwashed them to fear anything that went against his way of thinking."  
((A/N: I think that's like the most he has said in a very long time!!))  
  
"I'm still confused." Sanosuke said cursing himself for not being around.  
  
"I am going to see Kaoru," Kenshin said as if it were a final decision. "If Subaru is out there then she is in trouble I can't just leave her in a place like Rakuninmura."  
  
"What do you plan to do when you get there Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked looking at his best friends back.  
  
"I am going to bring her home-"  
  
"There is a reason why the girl is there," Aoshi said blocking Kenshin's path.  
  
Sano looked at him seriously, "Yeah, you don't just go to that place to have a cup of tea. You can't just go in there and take her out, it would have been like us trying to get you out of there. If you do that you will never get your Kaoru back."  
  
Kenshin turned to face his friend and nodded.  
  
"Heh, I guess when you live with someone long enough you start to act like them," Sanosuke laughed feeble trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"That's not funny Sano..." Kenshin hesitated, he knew they were right but he couldn't just let Kaoru suffer alone, wasn't he supposed to protect her? 'Well you failed that now didn't you?'  
  
'Why have you decided to speak up now?' he asked his other half.  
  
He walked out the dojo, "Don't worry I am just going to watch over her I'm not going to do anything." He tried to reassure his friends.  
  
Once Kenshin left an air of tension had filled the room stronger than before.  
  
"DAMN IT!" Sanosuke yelled making Misao jump "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED WHILE I WAS GONE?!"  
  
Yahiko looked at Sanosuke a little startled, then he felt sorry for the rooster head. Yahiko knew that he didn't like being left out of everything; but what do you expect from some one who was in another country at the time?  
  
Yahiko began to explain to the ex-gangster, and the two members of the Oniwabanshu exactly what happened. About Kaoru's brother, Subaru, and his plot to kill Kaoru's family, and then her brother's untimely death.  
  
Sanosuke listened quietly for once, and when the boy was done explaining he could only say one thing.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
"Watch your mouth!" Misao yelled throwing one of her kunai's at his head. She was a little taken aback as well; this was the first time she had heard the whole story, she knew about Subaru, but she didn't know about Kaoru's brother.  
  
Aoshi just walked out of the room.  
  
"And where do you think you're going?" Sanosuke snapped.  
  
"To get answers" Aoshi walked off not saying another word.  
  
"Wow that just explains a lot, but what else should I expect from the human ice-cube..." Sanosuke muttered. "OW! What was that for weasel girl?" Misao had just hit him upside the head.  
  
"Don't say stuff like that about Lord Aoshi!" She exclaimed ready to hit him again.  
  
"Calm down Geeze."  
  
- - -  
  
Never before had Kenshin felt so helpless while watching Kaoru from afar. It killed him to watch her stuck in her own world of turmoil. 'What has happened my love?' His eye's narrowed in on the person sitting next to her, if he did anything Kenshin would be down there so fast that the crazy idiot wouldn't know what hit him.  
  
- - -  
  
Kaoru closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again, she couldn't help but feel like she was being watched. 'Kenshin what are you doing now?' she wondered as she looked up at the stars and sighed.  
  
"What's with the content look?" Enishi said.  
  
"I'm not content, far from it, I was just thinking about something."  
  
"..."  
  
"You have been quiet, have you found the truth in that diary of yours?" she asked her voice slightly laced with pity for the man.  
  
Enishi shot her a glare, how dare she ask him something like that? He couldn't help it though he did feel connected to Kaoru now, as much as he didn't like it. Though that didn't stop him from keeping an indifferent attitude when it came to her, she was the wife of the man who stole his sister from him. How she could love that man as she did he couldn't even begin to comprehend. Though he knew his sister had loved him as well. And that, even though he had read her diary over many times; was still something that he couldn't figure out her reason for.  
  
Enishi looked up at the sky just as Kaoru had, a vision of his sister looked down at him frowning at him as he looked at her. "Will you ever smile for me sister?" a tear of anger and frustration escaped his eye.  
  
Kaoru looked at him a little perplexed, 'Poor Enishi, he still suffers now the full pain of that day, his pain must be worse on him than it is on Kenshin...' True that the pain both men felt was not something to be compared, but the feeling of helplessness, and blame that coupled with Enishi's pain, hatred, and self loathing, doubled any emotion toward the subject of his beloved sister, it was something Kaoru knew all to well now.  
  
- - -  
  
Somewhere in the shadows of Kyoto a man was running through an ally, he was stopped by a tall man smoking a cigarette.  
  
"Officer Fujita," the man who was running came to a hault and saluted Saitou, "They plan to strike in late March, Subaru is still building up forces, and you were right he does have the Himura child."  
  
Saitou sneered, 'Just as I expected.' He looked at the man "Good, report back to me when you can, I will be in Tokyo next time."  
  
"Right," and with that the man was gone again.  
  
'Time to pay Battousai a visit; wonder if he's figured anything out yet.' And then Saitou laughed at the thought, 'What am I thinking? He's about as dense as that Rooster-head.' Saitou disappeared into the shadows of Kyoto only to resurface in Tokyo days later. (Not as many as Kenshin had, because he actually thought of taking the train also.) To be continued...

* * *

A/N: Well not my best chapter, but I hate not being able to update as often as I should. Please forgive me I will make the next chapter make up for this one I promise.  
  
Yahiko: You scare me sometimes  
  
BC: Good =D 


	6. chapter 6

Disclaimer: Me no own RK, me not Watsuki-san T.T

A/N: Woot BC is updating another story!! I am leaving for the weekend, this story isn't well edited Please forgive me ;.; if it is too intolerable tell me and I will edit it again as soon as I get home. (I know this chapter is a little boring and slow moving, please forgive me, it will get better I promise)

* * *

Kenshin was walking back to the dojo, he couldn't stand by and do nothing any longer, and he knew he would find himself more trouble than either he or Kaoru needed if he went down to her. He also knew that Kaoru would be ok, if anything if people tried to get to her Enishi was there. He shuddered at the thought, it almost made him sick to think that he was entrusting Enishi of all people, but he had witnessed for himself that he would protect Kaoru, even if it was unintentional.

One of the more drunken men from the town had tried to get to Kaoru acting in a provocative manner, Kenshin was barely to his feet when he saw Enishi's reaction, pulling out his new sword and saying 'leave you are disturbing the quiet.' The problem was Kenshin didn't know what disturbed him more that Enishi was entrusted with keeping his lover safe, or that he had a new wattou that seemed to be in better condition than his old one.

When he entered the Dojo Aoshi was sitting in the training hall meditating. "I've been waiting for you." He said as Kenshin entered the hall.

"Have you?" The serious strain on Kenshin's patients has made him a little more irritable, almost like his former self was bubbling to the surface wanting some fresh air.

"Yes, I have found out what has happened." Aoshi sipped on the tea that was in front of him

Kenshin didn't answer he just looked at Aoshi trying to form an opinion of the man sitting in the full lotus position in front of him.

"Sit" He offered, and Kenshin slid down against the wall resting his sakabatou against his shoulder and listened to Aoshi talk.

"It wasn't hard to figure out that Kaoru was attacked by three of Subaru's men, but the hard part was to figure out what happened to your son, but I believe I have it figured out. Your son was-"

"Kidnapped," Saitou walked into the dojo finishing Aoshi's sentence.

"And what gives you the authority to enter my home unannounced?" Kenshin said darkly.

"Do you want to know what happened or not?" Saitou said leering, he knew he held some power over Kenshin at that moment and he was enjoying it, "I am surprised you don't know, but then again you haven't always been to bright now have you?"

Kenshin didn't answer he knew he wouldn't get any answers if he retorted.

"Subaru staged your son's death, that is what your dearly beloved wife thinks right now, she is also convinced it was her fault for not protecting him, You know how it is to feel like that right? His men set it up well, one of his idiot followers fed her a story of how your child met his end. Actually it is a very good one but I doubt you would want to hear it, I know she didn't."

Saitou was starting to irk Kenshin, he was very tempted to let himself go and try to kill the cop standing in front of him, but he just kept telling himself he would never get answers if he did that.

Saitou lit a cigarette and continued talking, "Now Subaru has your child, his plans are nearly complete. Though actually they will never be fully complete, that brother of Kaoru's made sure of that. To bad he had to die, he would have saved us more than a measly year before Subaru rebelled."

"How do you know all this?" Misao asked peaking her head in the hall she and Yahiko had obviously been eavesdropping.

"That is on a need to know bases, weasel."

"Well I need to know!" She retorted.

"That's too bad." He carelessly flicked the smoldering butt of his cigarette into her hair making her curse as she brushed it out.

"What do you mean Kenji would have been able to stop Subaru's rebellion and what is Subaru rebelling against anyway?" Yahiko asked looking at the Mibu wolf seriously.

"The raccoons brother was an officer in the police, he was one of the special agents sent out to investigate things, he was there to retrieve information-"

"So he was like your spy that we aren't supposed to know about?" Misao asked still mad about the cigarette butt.

"No, he didn't go undercover, that is how I knew exactly what happened to the Raccoon one of my men happened to be there, under cover. Her brother was hired to lurk in the shadows, I have a feeling not even his sister knows am I right?"

'She would have defiantly mentioned something, that she would have.' Kenshin nodded and Saitou went on.

"Subaru is rebelling against the government, he like a lot of people have a problem with the way things are run and he plans to overtake the current government and establish a new one with similar principles that Makoto Shisho had." Saitou saw the clueless look on Yahiko and Misao's faces and inwardly sighed in exasperation; "He wants to build a government based on the ideals of the strong will rule over the weak. And in his opinion he is the strongest, if he can overthrow the current government."

"So what your saying is that, he's like ol' crispy except he has more people, and he's not so crispy right?" Sanosuke asked trying to comprehend everything

Saitou shook his head in disdain "Moron."

"What!?"

Saitou ignored him. "But he won't be making any movements until March, so you have a while. And I would suggest you do not try to rescue your son until then, we have him on a tight watch and if you blindly go in there you will ruin thirteen years of police work, and all the advancements the raccoons brother made."

Kenshin and the other's agreed reluctantly not to do anything until March. 'How can I just sit by for three month's while my son is in the hands of that man? What about Kaoru? She thinks he is dead, this is all my fault,' Kenshin became deathly recluse within the next few days refusing to leave his room for anything, he was lost in his own blame once again.

One day someone ventured towards Kenshin's room, "Ken-san?" It was Megumi, she had come all the way from Aizu to support her friends. Well she was mainly there out of concern for Kaoru, she was ready to help her if she ever came back.

Kenshin didn't answer he just sat against the wall of his room his eye's covered by his crimson bangs. He had been mentally reprimanding himself for ever letting this happen. How could he have been so blind? Why did he let this happen, this was all his fault. He was inches from losing everything he had gained in the last four years and he could do nothing.

"Are you ok? Sano told me what happened." She said sounding sympathetic.

Kenshin looked up at the fox woman, the look he gave her made her gasp, cold amber eye's were staring back at her, they where full of regret and self-hatred.

"I am happy to see you Miss Megumi but at the moment I would like to be left alone." Kenshin said trying to sound like his rurouni self but it wasn't working.

"Of course Ken-san..." Megumi left the room shaking off the feeling that she had in the pit of her stomach at the sight of him. How a person could say so much without saying anything at all was something Megumi was still amazed to see, she walked down to the Kitchen. She didn't try to push Kenshin she knew it was useless in the state he was in.

"Well I've tried, the only thing we can do now is wait for Kaoru to come back." Megumi said sitting down and drank some tea that Aoshi had left unattended.

"Fat chance of that happening." Yahiko said dimly

Misao slapped Yahiko on the back of the head. "Don't say that!"

Then Sanosuke hit him too, "Yeah don't say that!" Even though they themselves were thinking the same thing.

To be continued...

* * *

A/N: I had some people ask me,Why did I put Kenshin into his 'Battousai' state? It's hard to explain but I am going to take the Kurogasa episodes as an example of why I did this, Kenshin was put into so much of a mental and emotional stress that some how his barriers failed and he let his other side ::cough:: out to play so to speak. Same idea here, his anger/hatred towards himself and Subaru, and his helplessness put him back to his old self (sounds fun ne?) But like the Kurogasa eps there is only one way to have our loveably not so wandering rurouni back. ::winks::

Yahiko: -.-;; you know I think you really are scarier than busu at times.

BC: Only at times?

Yahiko: No I was just trying to be nice.

BC: ::Snorts:: yeah that'll be the day...


	7. chapter 7

Disclaimer: ::laughs:: Do I look like Watsuki? ...hardly, I do not own RK in any way, shape, or form!

A/N: Ok so this chapter is going to be mostly Kaoru in her little dream world, but we all know the close parallels between dreams and reality, don't we? I mean where do we draw the line between the two anyway? So just be aware that I am crazy (but I have mentioned this before).

* * *

Megumi went to go visit Kaoru, it wasn't hard to find her. It wasn't like she had moved very far. Even though sitting next to Enishi was one of the more intimidating factors about her visit she still tried to convince Kaoru to go home.

"Kaoru, are you going to come back to us? Kenshin is waiting." Megumi tried to put on her most compassionate face for the girl.

Kaoru looked up at the doctor trying to figure out her intentions, but through the haze it was nearly impossible. "Go away, please." It was the first thing that she had said to any of her friends.

Megumi was taken aback by her very Kenshin-like attitude. And that was all she needed to loose her patients with the raccoon girl in front of her, "Kaoru, think for once in your life! Do you have any idea what you are doing?"

"Leave, please you're disturbing the silence." Kaoru said looking away feeling ashamed of herself, 'why do you even care about me?' she thought, 'I let you all down, why do you keep coming back?' Her stomach churned uncomfortably with her thoughts.

Megumi looked miffed she was about to say something more but Enishi shifted somewhere on one side of Kaoru, his sword was now against his shoulder. He looked up at Megumi conveying the message loud and clear, Megumi was not welcome here. So the doctor backed away looking at her broken friend with the utmost sorrow.

= = =

Megumi's words penetrated only the surface of Kaoru's being as she sat in silence.

It took a while but Kaoru finally fell victim to her exhaustion and slept for the first time in a long time. It was against her better judgment to sleep, but her body screamed for it once again, rarely now did she sleep, in the last few weeks she has slept three times and all by protest of her body...

= = =

Kaoru sat alone under the shade of one of the large sakura trees outside the walls of her dojo, she looked the same as she did in Rakumimura, contemplating and mentally punishing herself for her failure.

"Kaoru." The voice sounded so familiar but it couldn't be... it was impossible. "Kaoru, look at me."

Kaoru felt a fear of what she was going to see. She tried to force herself to keep her vision away from the figure in front of her, but she felt as if a string pulled her head up to face what she feared it would be, her brother.

"Kenji?" She asked meekly

"No, I just look, act, and sound like your brother." He said sarcastically looking down at her.

"Why are you here?" her voice was dark and soulless, very unlike the girl her brother once knew.

"I could ask you the same question." He said wryly.

"Don't get that tone with me." She said looking at him furrowing her brow.

"Now that sounds like my little sister; but this is not the time nor the place for sibling bickering Kaoru, I have come here with a message for you." He said looking serious his black hair swirling around even though there was no wind.

"What message?" Kaoru's tired face looked at her brother questioningly, how far could she trust her brother's specter anyway?

"It would be mean of me to say get up off of your sulking ass..."

"KENJI!!" she said shocked at his joking tone, "How can you talk that way? Especially to me, I'm the reason you're dead, and all that you can say to me is get off my ass!?" She was upset, not mad, upset. "I might as well have wielded the swords that killed you and my child; and you come here to quarrel with me and tell me to stop sulking what kind of message is that?! I couldn't protect the ones I love, is this my punishment to be taunted by my dead brother for all eternity?!"

"Are you done yet?" He asked simply, time wasn't exactly of the essence.

"Yes" she replied sheepishly, noticing how calm he was.

"Good, now I want you to know something, Yes I died, and no it was not your fault, I may have died for you but it was not because of you I died. My little Kaoru I wanted you to live and be happy, and have you done that yet?"

"Kaoru, I know it's hard to hear this but you just need to move on, I want you to be happy, that is why I'm here now."

"I don't deserve to be happy-"

"Stop with your unworthy bit before you completely turn into that husband of yours."

"I resent that." She glared, "So what was your message, it couldn't simply be 'Be Happy' I know you too well to know that is not the reason your specter has come here in my dreams."

"You're right, but I have a question for you first."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Just humor me," He said waving off her skeptical look, "What is your reason for living? What is your purpose?" He was looking down at his sister as she pondered over his question.

"I- my purpose?"

"Yes who or what is the one thing you live for?"

She understood what her brother meant. "I can't go back, I have failed them, I have failed everyone."

"What have I told you about that unworthy bit?" he seemed to grow with an ominous power only given to those who have passed on.

"Sorry" she said 'sheesh he's scaryier now than when he was alive and beating me up.'

"I heard that, Now that you have answered my question here is your full message. 'Are you sure that your happiness has been snatched away from you?' My dear sister, are you so sure that you are as lost as you think?" Kenji smiled at her.

"Kenji?" She questioned, he couldn't mean what he was saying. "This isn't just a dream is it?"

"Have I ever made an appearance in your dreams before?" He laughed before he started to fade, "Now go back to your loved ones, they are waiting for you, and your smile..."

The words echoed in her mind for but a moment before she snapped open her eyes.

'If this all weren't so weird...' she thought. Bracing herself against the wall she stood up, 'I haven't done that in a while.' She said as she wobbled, her mind pounding as blood rushed through her body. She stepped awkwardly forward getting used to walking again. She tested her balance before turning to look at the broken Enishi that stared at her with puzzlement.

"I am only going to tell you once," She said glaring at the white haired man before her, "but I think being a younger sibling who has lost their older one..."

He looked at her and furrowed his brow to show his confusion.

"Please listen to me and take this with the utmost seriousness. Tomoe was your sister, the thing is, brother's and sisters, they have only a single wish for their sibling and that is to be happy, as twisted as that message may get along the line that is all they want." She looked down at him, she was surprised that he was still listening, "Tomoe wanted you to be happy, are you going to deny her that wish for you, please live for her, and be happy."

Enishi looked at her blankly as she turned to walk away she thought she heard him whisper something, though she wasn't sure it sounded like, "Thank you."

"Wha-" Kaoru turned around to see him with tears glistening in his eye, no longer was it of frustration or anger, but maybe it was just Kaoru, but it looked like he finally understood something.

Kaoru walked away from Rakumimura leaving a soiled blanket behind with the weight of blame she no longer carried. Rakumimura was a place for those with no reason to live, it took Kaoru a while, but she did have a reason, and it was still there no matter how lost she thought she was before maybe she could find her way back to it. Maybe it was all still there.

She still had a reason to live, and that was all the reason she needed. She looked at the dusty road ahead of her it was long and rugged, but that didn't matter she would take it as it came because at the end of that road she knew she would find the one person that could make her happy. And that was all that mattered now.

To be continued...

* * *

A/N: omgs! Another update I must be either insane or maybe I just feel bad for taking so long last time... I think it's the later of the two... but it's a miracle that I got this out only four hours after getting home from a very long weekend. 


	8. chapter 8

Disclaimer: Watsuki-San owns Rurouni Kenshin, not I.

But I do own Kaoru's brother! Kenji: What are you talking about?

BC: I created you, so I own you, I could bring you back to life if I wanted to you know, but you are mine and there is nothing you can say about it MWAHAHAHA!!!

Yahiko: I feel sorry for Busu's brother.

BC: I heard that Yahiko-CHAN!

A/N: I think I have made you guys wait long enough for this chapter, please forgive me for not updating my stories as fast as I used to, you know how life goes sometimes.

Now on with the story!

* * *

The dojo had filled with a doubt of ever seeing Kaoru again, though they would never voice that aloud, especially not with Kenshin around. As time slowly edged on he had become dangerously contemplative, and quiet.

Rain had just started to pound softly on the roof at the dojo as the residence all sat eating dinner in silence. It was the first time Kenshin had left his room in the past few days and his presence made some feel tense, maybe it was the fact that he was lost within his own thoughts of retaining the battousai inside of him who wanted out so badly to kill Subaru for what he had did. Though the rain seemed to lighten the mood for some reason, it seemed to bring a message that things were alright.

The silence was killing Kenshin so he spoke up, "Miss Megumi you went to go see Kaoru?" Kenshin asked he hadn't gone back to afraid that the sight of her would break him.

"Ken-san, are you sure this is something you want to hear now?" she asked looking at the anticipating dinner table.

"Yes Miss Megumi," his voice was broken between the rurouni on the inside and the battousai which despite appearances was under control.

"Oh Ken-san, if she ever comes back it would be a miracle. I haven't seen anyone that far gone since..." She stopped, the last time she had seen anyone that far gone was Kenshin, and she didn't know if she should say it aloud.

"Since me?" He finished for her.

"You know what they say Kenshin, you live with a person long enough you start to pick up on their habits..."

"That's not funny Sano," Kenshin said for a second time in the past few days. True as his friends statement may be, it wasn't something he would ever admit to. He stood up and stood over by the door of the kitchen ready to leave.

- - -

Kaoru stumbled her way to the dojo, she still wasn't healed, and with the lack of food and blood in her system she wasn't exactly at her strongest, walking was becoming harder for her. When she was outside the gate she took a moment to think over why she had left, and what was she to say? She knew she had some explaining to do but how much would there be? Would they forgive her?

A great feeling filled the pit of her stomach as she entered the gates, she drug herself further, 'You have to stay awake, don't fall now you have to find him...' whispered a little voice in the back of her mind. Something pulled her towards the kitchen and as painful as it was she made her way there.

The first thing that greeted her as she slid open the Shoji was a very surprised Kenshin who was quick to grab her as she felt her feet slip from under her. She clung to his gi and buried her face into his chest, 'What a nice feeling to feel warmth once again.' She mumbled something that no one could hear.

"What is it Kaoru?" Kenshin grabbed her chin to make her look at him.

Tears stained her face which had been covered with dry blood and dirt. "I'm home."

It could have been her imagination but she swore she could hear Kenshin smile, yes hear him smile. Not on the outside but inside something inside of him was relieved and was able to smile again.

The change was almost unnoticeable but slowly Kenshin's eye's slid back to there normal violet hue as he held _his_ Kaoru safe in his arms.

- - -

Warm light washed over her face she muttered nonsense and snuggled deeper into her blanket. She felt a hand brush a hair from her face. 'I'd know those calluses anywhere.' She cracked an eye open to see Kenshin hovering right above her. 'Too close' she thought and swatted at him involuntarily.

"Kenshin?" She said trying to act innocent, but he saw straight through this and was about to reply as well.

"She's awake?" She heard another voice that she was pretty sure was Megumi, "Sorry Kenshin, I don't care if she is your wife you can't stay in here during the examination..." Kenshin of course protested to leaving Kaoru's side, "I'll get you when we are done." Megumi said fending him off.

Megumi examined her in silence neither said a word both had a silent understanding of what the other was thinking. She dressed Kaoru's wounds and got up to leave but turned around and did something that most never would have expected the doctor to do. She hugged Kaoru.

"You're very lucky," Megumi wiped a tear from her eye; "Not many people could survive what you have gone through, not like that."

"Thank you Megumi." Kaoru smiled as she watched the doctor leave the room, Kaoru looked at her palm and noticed that the wound was stubborn and wouldn't close. 'So this is my punishment is it?' she thought as she looked at the crimson stained cloth that covered it.

Kaoru heard Kenshin walk into the room again, but she didn't look up from her hand as tears started to burn her eyes. She felt him kneel beside her and she couldn't stand it anymore and she wrapped her arms around his middle and began to cry. "I'm sorry,"

Kenshin smiled and stroked her hair. "Shhh," He soothed, "There is nothing to be sorry for my love."

Kaoru shook her head, "I couldn't protect our son, he's gone, and I did nothing, how could you say there is nothing to be sorry for?"

He cupped her face and pulled it level with his so she could look straight at him, "I have never lied to you, and I am not about to start now; There is nothing to be sorry for because Kenji is not dead."

"What do you mean?" She blinked at him confusion swirling in her bloodshot eyes.

"It was nothing more than a trick to deceive you." He tucked a stray hair behind his wife's ear. "He's alive and I am going to get him back, I promise you."

"We" Kaoru said quickly taking a glance down at her hand. Kenshin looked at her as if he were confused, "Don't give me that look _we_ are going to get him back, I failed my son once I will not do it again."

It was no since arguing with her at the moment (not that he wasn't going to try to later). "Alright," She cuddled onto his lap and sighed to show her contentment. "Are you ok?"

"I am now..." She said succumbing to his warmth and falling asleep once again.

- - -

Kaoru awoke again, she found herself under the warm covers of her futon with Kenshin's warm arms around her and his nose pressed lightly against her neck. 'Guess he wants to make sure I don't leave... oh how the tables have turned my love; but don't worry I will never truly leave you.' She moved a little to tell him she was awake.

Kenshin sat up and looked over her. "Is every thing alright?"

"..." Could she say yes? She wanted to but the fact still loomed that her child was alive and in the arms of the one person she would probably rather kill with her own hands first. Though a thought crossed her mind; "Kenshin? Why is every one sitting around here? What about Kenji?"

"Kaoru..." What words could he say? What could be said? "Kaoru... It was Subaru, this was all his doing he kidnapped Kenji,"

"I know that much," She said exasperated, what did Kenshin take her for an idiot? "Why aren't we doing anything?"

"We can't, it's not just an issue of saving Kenji any longer, it's a matter of-"

"Let me guess, saving the country?" She said bitterly, 'I didn't have to be a psychic to figure that one out.' She thought looking into her husbands eyes. "To hell with the country! My child is in the hands of the man who killed my family!"

Kenshin flinched inwardly, 'and I haven't even told her that we have to wait three months...'

"Kenshin... I'm sorry I-I..." He put a hand on her lips to stop her from talking.

"Shhh" he Soothed, "I understand, but everything will be alright, I promise you." He kissed her forehead tenderly.

"Do you?"

"Yes"

That was all she needed to hear and she put her head on his shoulder and fell asleep again. For the first time she could rest without feeling a lingering pain in her heart, as long as she had Kenshin with her she knew every thing would be alright.

To be continued...

* * *

A/N: Wow I didn't know I could get so sappy... Kaoru is one sleepy Kendo teacher, but what did you expect, she's no Kenshin, she can't heal_ that_ fast. 


	9. chapter 9

Disclaimer: RK is Watsuki's to do with what he wishes, not me sadly.

A/N: Sad to say, I had to change the rating of this story to pg-13 (and make cuts to this chapter T.T) but that is what happens when your nosy parents read the unedited version of stories -.- so sorry you guys but looks like this story is gonna have a little less in it than originally planned.

* * *

Days passed and still Kaoru lay in bed with nothing to do, she was barred from leaving her room by a certain foxy doctor, and an ex-rurouni. She swore they were working together on this just to torture her.

Having nothing to do was a living nightmare, Kaoru wasn't even aloud to move more than a foot from her futon before her overprotective husband came into the room and made sure she was in her proper place, and it was really starting to get on her nerves.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru protested as her husband brought in her breakfast. "You can't possible be thinking of treating me like a doll until I heal do you? I am becoming a blob of jelly! If this were you, you would have already been up doing the laundry!" Kenshin opened his mouth to protest to his wife, but the fire had been lit and she wasn't about to be interrupted. "Don't you start your 'But this is you we are talking about...' crap because Kenshin, it's just not fair! You can't treat me like I am a porcelain doll that will break at the slightest touch."

Her accusations were so close to the truth it was kind of scary. 'She knows me to well sometimes, but if she thinks I am going to let her put stress on herself she has to be kidding.' Kenshin thought to himself. "Beloved, I am only looking out for your best interest, Kaoru I-"

"Are not coming anywhere near my bed ever again if you get my drift Kenshin." Kaoru glared at him with a glint of defiance in her eyes.

"Oro?!" Kenshin blinked a couple times processing the full intent of what she said before he looked at his fiery wife and pouted. Yes that's right Himura Kenshin, once known as the infamous hitokiri battousai pouted, and without shame too.

"Get out of my room Kenshin." Kaoru said coldly, not even letting her husband get a chance to argue with her. Kaoru seemed to have a very threatening way that she picked up the book that was sitting next to her.

Kenshin would have said something more, but thought it was best not to say anything at that precise moment.

- - -

"Is she still being stubborn Ken-san?" Megumi asked as Kenshin left the bedroom looking a bit defeated.

"Kaoru doesn't like to be caged up, she is the kind of person who wants to be able to do something, and not be idle." Kenshin kept his eyes on the shoji as he said this.

"That's our raccoon for you." Megumi shook her head and walked down the hall.

- - -

Later that night Kenshin decided that he would try to convince his beloved wife that he wasn't really imprisoning her at all.

"Get out Kenshin." She stated flatly, He had barely opened the Shoji when she commanded him to leave.

"B-but Ka-" He began

"I have nothing more to say to you Kenshin." Her voice was cold, she wasn't about to let him treat her like some kind of figurine not now, not ever.

Kenshin wouldn't give up that easily either, he was going to get her to listen to him. "I am not leaving, it is my room as well as yours."

Kaoru shot him a death glare that rivaled his own, but he was unfazed. He knew what buttons to push, and boy was he about to push them.

"Yes it is your room as well, maybe you should think of setting up your futon... on the other side of the room." Kaoru said coolly not looking at him.

'okay so maybe now was not the best time to 'do' anything...' Kenshin didn't try to press things that night. But tomorrow will always be another day.

- - -

Kenshin woke up early and prepared breakfast, taking Kaoru's to her immediately hoping his wife would take this peace offering. He entered there room carrying the food on a tray. He set the food down before sitting next to his wife gently waking her up.

Kaoru blinked a few times, she hated being disturbed from her dream world, especially when she was dreaming about sweet revenge on her poor overprotective husband. "Kenshin, food is not going to win this... You can't just lock me up like some bird." She stated flatly seeing his motives.

'You wanna bet' He did not say this aloud in fear of getting a sever beating. "That is the last thing I am trying to do." 'Good Himura lie to her, like that is going to work.'

"Nice try Kenshin. You can't win me by a few sweet words."

Kenshin smiled mischievously, "Well if I can't win this by words how about other means..."

"Kenshin what-" but her questioning was stopped when her husband started to nibble on her ear making her giggle incessantly. "Stop it...Kenshin!" she tried to say but words seemed to fail her.

"I will have my way." He said possessively.

Kaoru raised her eyebrow, "And if I say no?"

Kenshin leaned his forehead against hers, "I am sure I could persuade you." Kenshin tried to prove his case by claiming her lips.

'Damn that man...' where her last thoughts before her mind fell into a haze and she lost all will to think properly. It didn't occur to her but some how someway she was again lying down on her futon tugging at her husband's hakama hungrily.

"Impatient are we?" He whispered into her ear before he trailed kisses down her neck towards her collar bone. Every thing seemed so right in that moment nothing could go wrong, right?

Kenshin was lavishing Kaoru her moans only coaxed him to go on. Everything would have been fine if he didn't feel this sudden cold and very, very wet sensation all over his body ((A/N: not that kind of 'wet sensation' all you hentai!)). In that split second something told him that he had just been drenched with water and the inevitable was about to happen.

"IDIOT!" Megumi had somehow appeared in the doorway. Kenshin would have been afraid of the doctor at that moment if she hadn't hit him across the head with a bucket. And for now our rurouni was an oroing mess.

Megumi sat there, breathing as if she had just run a marathon. "Kenshin, you idiot, what in Kami-sama's name where you thinking?" She grabbed the rurouni by the collar of his gi and shook him to emphasized her anger. "I leave you and the Tanuki alone, and you are on her like some hamster in heat!! Are you trying to keep her bed ridden? Do you know the damage that kind of activity could have done?"

- - -

Somewhere deep within the inner sanctums of Japan a man slips unnoticed into a western style mansion. He ascends a flight of stairs to the second level. He looked around, Kami knows why the man who summoned him kept an array of traps laid out, paranoia maybe? What ever this mans reasons he did not care, he was there for one reason and one reason only, and that was all that mattered.

"You called for me?" The man inquired finally reaching his destination, a small drawing room set with many books and a desk made from cherry wood. The man occupying the room seemed to be the only out of place thing in the western designed room; he was a large man, well larger than your average Japanese man, his heritage very evident by his face.

"Yes, have the pieces fallen into place?" The man sitting at the desk turned around, it was Subaru, his face didn't show the anticipation he was feeling on the inside at that moment.

"She has gone back like you have predicted. Can I ask why you didn't just kill her and her child, why are you drawing this out?" The man had an accent that was easily distinguishable.

"If I killed her and that damned child straight out I would have to deal with the battousai, one that had nothing to lose. I may have to deal with him sooner or later, now that I have taken his child. That is beyond the point. I want Kamiya to suffer like I have, it isn't enough for me to kill her brother, I want her world to crumble just like mine did." Subaru's eyes shown with something, was it vengeance? "I accept that I can't take Himura Battousai from her, but I can take down the rest of her world."

"Sir, what does this have to do with overthrowing the government? She is just one woman, she can't be that much of a barrier can she?" The other man asked in confusion.

Subaru glared at the man, "You ask too many questions. It is not your place to know the inner workings of my plans. You are nothing but a servant, and you should learn to find your place."

The man bowed his long blond broom-like hair touched the floor as he did this.

"You may leave Chou, you have some spy work to do, and I expect you to do it."

The man left without another word. 'Subaru almost caught on, if he knew I was digging information for Saitou I would be one dead man.' Chou looked around to see a large amount of penniless thugs lazing around. 'Disgusting... Well off to pay a visit to my least favorite wolf."

Chou again disappeared into the night, the one thought on his mind as he trekked back towards Tokyo, 'Work can be a bitch sometimes.'

To be continued...

* * *

A/N: yeah sorry for the suck-butt chapter... I had to edit so much out of it (this was originally over 10 pages long) but I guess I'll have to work around it now -.- sorry for the long wait! And for those who are reading 'Bitter Cold' don't worry I have something cooked up for that I just want it perfect before I update it. 


	10. chapter 10

Disclaimer: ;.; me no own rk.

A/N: Wow I didn't think I would finish this chapter so soon! (well relatively, I started this chapter after I updated the last chapter for bitter cold)

Thank you to every one who has reviewed for this story! Now without further ado the next chapter to Lost:

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Silently he made his way into the police station, and into his office with little disturbance. Last night had been a long one for Saitou Hajime. Subaru's stupidity still ceased to amaze the mibu wolf. Quietly he took a short sigh to calm his enraged nerves, there had been more information on what Subaru was planning to do, and needless to say the information was far from good.

Saitou glared towards his door as he felt a familiar ki come closer, 'That idiot...' He thought as the door swung open to reveal Chou standing in the door way looking a little disheveled.

"Why the hell did you send me to that damned place if you were just going to find out the information on your own anyway?" His temper was getting the better of him, he was forgetting his place and to whom he spoke to.

"I sent you to keep a watch on the Himura child; I never told you that your job was reconnaissance." Saitou shot back before lighting a cigarette; he really needed it to calm his nerves. "How is the child?"

"It's fine, Subaru won't do anything to it, yet. That child is his trump card, and he knows when to play it as well." Chou's anger had calmed for the moment. "Does that fool really think he can over power the Meiji government though?"

"Yes." Saitou took another puff from his cigarette. "And he is crazed enough to shake the government at its core."

"It's a wonder that the press has yet to get word of any of this." Chou said off handedly.

"Oh they know about it, it is costing the government a hefty price to keep them quiet though." Again Saitou inhaled the toxic smoke. "Shouldn't you be doing your job?"

"I was just leaving." Chou waved the mibu wolf off as he exited the office.

- - -

Kenshin was preparing lunch in the kitchen, his head still pounding from the beating he had gotten by a certain foxy doctor. He sighed, it had almost been worth it too... If only she would have been a few minuets later then he may have been able to agree that he deserved the concussion he received.

He expertly sliced the fish he intended to use in his sushi as he hummed a mindless tune, completely oblivious to the young girl staring at him incredulously.

"Himura, singing to the fish is not going to make it taste better." Misao said finally getting tired of listening to the red-head hum.

"Oro?" Kenshin blinked turning around, 'I didn't even notice her ki... all these happenings lately have sure taken a toll on my senses... and my libido...' Half of him reprimanded his last thought, he should not be thinking that way right now!

"Good afternoon Miss Misao!" Kenshin said with a rurouni grin. "Kaoru is feeling very awake today that she is, I know she would appreciate it if you visited her."

'Bout time Himura, you worry wart.' Misao thought exasperated. "I think I just might do that." Misao walked down towards her friend's room and entered without even knocking.

"MISAO!!!" Kaoru shouted very surprised to see her young friend. ((A/N: Remember poor Kaoru has been oblivious to her and Aoshi even being at the dojo for the past few weeks)) She immediately swooped her friend into a giant bear hug.

"Mmph..." Misao said against her friends shoulder before she struggled to shift her face. "Kaoru... can't...breathe..."

Kaoru blushed and dropped her friend unceremoniously. "Misao what are you doing here? When did you get here?"

"I have been here for a few weeks, and Aoshi-sama and I followed Kenshin here when he returned." Misao explained quickly.

"Oh-" Kaoru's face fell a little, she knew why they were here, and though she was grateful it still didn't help that it reminded her of what happened.

"Kaoru..." Misao said looking sadly at her friend, Misao clasped her friends hands in her own "I promise you that we are going to get your son back if it's the last thing I do."

Kaoru smiled at her friends promise. "Thank you Misao, you don't know how much that means to me."

"Now that you know how determined I am, lets change this depressing subject... I heard Megumi yelling at you and Kenshin... So what exactly did she walk in on?"

Kaoru's face turned a very beautiful shade of red as she mumbled something incomprehensible feeling very embarrassed by the mornings events.

Misao smiled to see her friend distracted, she started to tease her about that mornings events. Misao hated to see Kaoru so sad, it just didn't fit her.

- - -

The days dwindled by slowly; Kaoru was soon on her feet again. Ignoring her husbands protest as she resigned to training with Yahiko daily now. She had never drilled the poor boy so hard. Even though he was now an assistant master, and lead most of the lower classes he still had a lot to learn, as he soon found out.

"Yahiko, how many times do I have to tell you not to leave your left side open like that?!" Kaoru yelled as she jabbed her bokken into the poor boy's side. "Do it again, and this time concentrate! If I had been holding a katana just now you would have been dead, is that what you want?!" She reprimanded him.

Yahiko flinched as he grabbed his abused side, he almost had it in him to yell at her and call her 'Busu' but thought against it. Ever since Kaoru had started to train him again she had turned furiously serious. She was hell-bent on making sure he got it ingrained in his mind to perform every kata with pinpoint accuracy.

"Yahiko I want you to practice the new swing 1000 times!" She instructed after he failed once again to guard his left side, "And when you are done with that come get me and we will spar again." She said as she walked out of the dojo.

"You're going harder on him than usual." Kenshin said pointedly as he scrubbed Kaoru's rust colored training gi in the soapy water.

"I know, but he is older now, and he should be able to handle it, my father trained me like that when I was seven, I am sure he can handle it as a teenager."

He smiled at her, "Yes, but if you are not careful he just might beat you while sparing someday soon." He knew that would be a major blow to her pride.

"I hope he does." Kaoru said thoughtfully, taking her husband aback with her confession. "I hope he finds the strength to defeat his teacher someday. I want him to become stronger than me, if he doesn't, I have failed him."

"Is that so?" Kenshin said curiously, just because he was a master of swordsmanship it didn't exactly make him the master of teaching it.

"Yes, you may not realize it, but that is the wish of every teacher, to see there student surpass them, that way they can teach the next generation to be stronger than there own." Kaoru smiled looking down at him, "That is what Hiko wished for you when he taught you, is it not?"

He had never looked at it that way, but Kaoru did make sense. "You are very right that you are my love."

Kaoru blushed lightly at the endearment; it was amazing to her how he can still get her to blush even after being married. It was as if she still had a crush on the man.

"Please stop, all this love is sickening." Said a very abrupt voice.

"Hello Sanosuke." Kaoru said a little miffed at his intrusion.

"I was on my way back..."

"From gambling no doubt," Kaoru said rolling her eyes, Kenshin had to fight his urge to snicker at her distaste for their friends old habits.

"From work, if you must know Miss Smarty Pants." Sano replied shaking his head at his friend's skeptical look. "Now as I was saying. I was on my way back from work when I noticed something a little odd."

"Yes we're listening." Kenshin said as he pulled away from his laundry.

"It seems that Tokyo is starting to fill up with some interesting new figures." Sano said looking around.

Kenshin looked at Kaoru and she nodded thinking along the same track as him.

"Subaru." Kaoru subconsciously gripped her bokken even tighter as she said this aloud.

"Very good guess, Tanuki," Stated a drawling voice.

To be continued...

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A/N: sorry for such a sucky, short chapter (and the cliff hanger) but the next part has too much in it to let it go on in this chapter... (I sowee ;.;)

Yahiko: You're not sorry! Admit it you couldn't think of anything else to write!

BC: What the hell do you know Yahiko-chan?!

Kenshin: Do you guys have to fight every time you speak to each other?

Yahiko and BC: YES!!!

Kenshin: oro

BC: See ya next time! ::waves::


	11. pissed authoress

A/N: THIS IS NOT A REAL CHAPTER! This is what I like to call a pseudo chapter (I got the idea from another author, sorry if you think I stole it). I am sorry to disappoint all of you, but flames really make me angry. And degrading me pisses me off even more.

So here is what I like to call 'An Author's Retaliation' enjoy.

* * *

Last time on Lost...

"It seems that Tokyo is starting to fill up with some interesting new figures." Sano said looking around.

Kenshin looked at Kaoru and she nodded thinking along the same track as him.

"Subaru." Kaoru subconsciously gripped her bokken even tighter as she said this aloud.

"Very good guess, Tanuki," Stated a drawling voice.

- - -

Kaoru looked around to come face to face with Saitou, "What do you want?" She asked coldly.

"To deliver a message, not that it is any business of yours," Saitou handed the letter to Kaoru anyway. Sheread it over she looked a little startled but she read it aloud to the anticipating Kenshin-gumi:

_Dear reviewer (you know who you are),_

_Normally I would never do this, but I would like to say you have pissed off the wrong person buddy. I don't give a damn about whether you want me to delete my story or not, it was my choice to write it, and it was your choice to read it, and tohave an opinion, but please next time do it a little more tastefully. _

_You had no right in calling me by that vile name, you don't know me. You have no right to degrade another human being like that. You are no better than I, or any other person, so get off your high horse. You know what? I was wrong, I am better than you, and do you want to know why that is? Because unlike you, I at least do not judge people as you have me. I at least know what '**respect**' and '**propriety**' mean. Like right now, I am showing you some respect by not calling you some... we'll call them interesting names that you have well earned in my book. _

_I bet you think I have let this get to me. Then this just proves that, once again that you know nothing about me. You gave me your opinion, now I am simply just sharing mine._

_-Battosaichick-01_

A/N: I am sorry to disappoint all of you who were expecting a new chapter to the story (again). I would like to thank everyone who cared enough about this story to actually scrounge up something to say, and give some _helpful_ criticism. I appreciate it more than you could ever realize. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.


	12. chapter 11

Disclaimer: ::Sighs:: I don't own rk...

A/N: Thank you, I'm sorry for fooling you guys with my Authors note. I really appreciate everyone's support. And I am apologizing for such a 'rough' chapter, I didn't want to tamper to much more with it otherwise I would probably end up ruining it... so this is how it is going to stay until I completely edit this story.

I am sorry I haven't been updating regularly.... I have been bogged down with essays, and applications X.x;; but that isn't really an excuse is it? Truth is I have had writers block. (but the result is some nice one-shots that I might post eventually)

A certain flame (and the criticism of it XD ) has given me some inspiration, so I guess I owe you a thanks Sir Anonymous, I wouldn't have gotten this chapter out so fast if it weren't for you. ::evil cackle::

* * *

"It seems that Tokyo is starting to fill up with some interesting new figures." Sano said looking around.

Kenshin looked at Kaoru and she nodded thinking along the same track as him.

"Subaru." Kaoru subconsciously gripped her bokken even tighter as she said this aloud.

"Very good guess, Tanuki," Stated a drawling voice.

"Saitou," Kaoru said as everyone within the dojo faced the mibu wolf. "What are you doing here?" She spat, feeling a little put out that the man didn't even wait for a proper invitation into her home.

Saitou ignored the girl's distaste, "I have some information that you might find interesting..."

- - -

After sharing his information with the Kenshin-gumi, Saitou took it upon himself to leave, but first he had something to do.

"Tanuki," His cold voice made her cringe. "I hate being your messenger boy, don't let it happen again." Saitou handed the girl a letter.

"I-" She glanced down at it. "Umm... thank you,"

The officer shrugged before taking a drag from his cigarette. "Don't let it happen again."

And with that The Mibu wolf left the place in Tokyo he hated to be the most.

- - -

It had been hours since Saitou had left. The Mibu wolf had known better than to keep the ex-hitokiri in the dark, it would only bring him a larger headache later on.

What Sanosuke said was true, followers were gathering in Tokyo, all of them seemingly interested to see the actions of the Kamiya dojo.

"We can do nothing, Subaru holds the fate of all of us in his hands. He has a weapon that we cannot counter." Saitou warned, leaving the residence to ponder over the exact meaning of it.

Kenji was fine, or at least as fine as any baby taken from his family could be. It would seem that Subaru was keeping the child well taken care of. That sprung up a new worry, why? Why was he going out of his way to do that?

It seemed that Chou had been sent to dig up information and get into the 'inner circle' of Subaru's plan. He was where most of the information about Kenji's wellbeing had come from, but some of his recon on what Subaru was actually planning was lax to say the least. All that one could say was he was planning something, and it would happen soon.

Kaoru sighed, looking up at the pail blue sky above her. 'This seems too surreal.'

"...Kaoru?" Her husband had asked her something, she had been too engrossed in her own thoughts to pay attention to the real world.

"I'm sorry anata, what did you ask?"

"What was in that letter? Ever since you read it you seem to be more deep in thought than usual, that you did."

"The letter was nothing important, I had asked the police chief to keep me updated on the man who attacked me, you know since one of Saitou's little spies seems to be working with the man. But that isn't what I was thinking about, I was just taking in what Saitou had told us."

"Kaoru, you shouldn't worry yourself so much, right now there is nothing that can be done."

"You should listen to your own advice sometime." Kaoru muttered absently

"Oro?!" Kenshin heard his wife loud and clear. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing." Kaoru responded walking off towards Misao, she didn't feel like an argument at the moment.

- - -

Time seemed to pass slower now, unease seemed to be at an all time high in the days following Saitou's visit. Kaoru more than anyone, seemed anxious, she had taken to pacing through the complex of the dojo over and over. Or at least she had until Sanosuke begged her to stop, claiming it made him more nervous than Kenshin's cold stare, which he had grown accustomed to wearing lately.

Night had fallen uneventfully exactly one week after Saitou had visited. Kaoru stared at the ceiling of her room.

Megumi still insisted on not letting her husband share a futon with her until she was satisfied that Kaoru was more than healed. Kaoru sighed, Megumi had become quite the worry wart.

Silently Kaoru stood from her futon, and opened the drawer that held her training clothes. She took care to keep herself calm, Kenshin would know she was awake otherwise, it was one of the few downsides of his ability to sense her ki, she was never alone. But then again, the upside of that was that she was never alone. ((A/N: Ironic ne?))

Kaoru opened her shoji a crack and looked up and down the hall, she could hear the snores of the young Tokyo samurai, and the ex-gangster coming from their own rooms. They had refused to leave the Dojo after Kaoru's return, they feared something else would happen, and they would be helpless once again otherwise.

Being careful not to make a sound Kaoru exited towards the training hall. Deftly she picked up her favorite bokken, and attached it to her side. Kaoru silently slid out of her home and walked away into the forest. She wandered for a moment in the underbrush before she felt someone grab her by the elbow, and yanked her around to face them.

"Where in Kami-sama's name do you think you're going?"

To be continued...

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A/N: wow this chapter is shorter than I thought it would be... oh well I have something pretty important in store for the next chapter. The real fun is about to begin! 


	13. chapter 12

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

A/N: Woot another chapter! I am really sorry that my updating has been so slow lately, blame it on Senior year, (but I think I have caught senioritis...) I wrote this while listening to Morning Musume... you would be surprised at what that music can do to you XD

* * *

"Where in Kami-sama's name do you think you're going?" 

His reaction did not surprise her in the least bit, she had expected him to act like this. She couldn't really blame him, after all that she has put him through.

"Over the hill and through the woods." Kaoru replied sarcastically looking at her husband. She shook her head, and offered him a comforting smile, "I was waiting for you to catch up, we are meeting someone here."

"What are you up to?" He hated to be led around like this, "Have you lost your mind?" He kept his firm grip on her arm.

"The moment I met you," Kaoru retorted with every ounce of love. She put her hand on top of his to release his grip, "Saitou wanted us to wait here, we are going to be escorted to where Subaru's new mansion by one of his agents."

"And you couldn't have told me this earlier?" He asked, a little irked, she had tricked him, she was too sly for her own good.

"Absolutely not!" Kaoru snapped, "I know you better than you think Himura Kenshin, if I had told you earlier I would not be here, you would have most likely taken Sano with you instead. Not to mention if I had mentioned anything to you Aoshi, Misao, Yahiko, and the greater Tokyo area would have known. I will not put anyone else in danger, and I know neither will you." Her voice was like fire, and Kenshin was bound to get burned.

He just stared, 'She does know me better than I do, sometimes...' after another moment of silence Kenshin looked around, "When are we supposed to be meeting this 'undercover agent' of Saitou's?"

"You're not going to fight me on this?" Kaoru asked a little flabbergasted, that was way to easy.

"I know you better than you think as well," Kenshin replied "I know there is no point in arguing with you now."

Kaoru just stared at him with her mouth open. "Well that's just great! I left two hours early because I thought you would protest, _like you always do!_"

"Oro!" She really had planned this out, and now she had that look in her eyes, be careful rurouni don't say the wrong thing, "Where did you get the idea that I would..."

"...Do this on your own, Or choose Sanosuke, or someone else to go with you?" Kaoru said finishing his sentence.

"Erm, yeah basically." Kenshin said feeling a little dumb.

"History." Kaoru turned away to hide her smirk 'this is gonna confuse him... dense baka.'

"History?" He had no idea what she was talking about.

"Yes, history, do I have to list off all of the instances in chronological order?"

He didn't respond, she was getting angry, this was never a good thing.

"Lets just start with, Kanryuu Takeda shall we? It was okay for Yahiko, and Sanosuke to come along wasn't it? I mean Yahiko had been training for what a month? Yes he was perfectly able to handle anything!"

"Koishii..." He tried to calm her down, but it only added fuel to the fire.

"Don't you dare try to coddle me!" She yelled.

"Oro!" Duck and cover, duck and cover!

"I am sick and tired of being treated like I am some fine china that is to be looked at not touched," This had been building up inside for a long time now, it was a good thing that Kaoru had two hours to get this all off of her chest (poor Kenshin). "I was not forced to be thrown into my father's kendo teachings just so I can sit at home and twiddle my thumbs like every other woman! I will not do that!"

"I know Kaoru it's just that-" Kenshin tried to interject, but the poor rurouni went unheard.

"I will not be idle while others try to rescue my son!" her voice faltered and her shouting died to a dejected whisper, "I failed him once, it will not happen again."

Kenshin wrapped his arms around her, "Have you been holding this in all this time?"

Kaoru sighed, and nodded, relishing in the security he gave her.

"Am I interrupting something?" A masculine voice cut through the night air, "You are the one's Captain Fujita asked to take down Subaru?"

Kaoru's breath caught at the sound of the familiar voice, "You!" she took a step back, "Seiju's brother!"

The man bowed his head, "I cannot begin to apologize for what I have done to you, I could not go easier on you, I was ordered by Subaru to kill you, I tried hard not to put you through to much."

"..." She remembered quite clearly what she had gone through, "And the mental torment? You could have at least spared me that."

"Once again, I do not expect you to forgive me, I do not deserve it, I was under strict orders nothing more." The man bowed apologetically.

"Remind me to yell at Saitou later..." Kaoru said under her breath to Kenshin.

"Just yell at him?" he highly doubted that was all she would do, Saitou should be afraid, hell hath no fury like a tanuki scorned. Kenshin shuttered at the fate that the mibu wolf was sure to endure.

"We should leave," Seiju's brother interrupted, "It will be dawn in a few hours, and Captain Fujita wants us to report to him by noon."

And so they walked. Silence fell quickly on the trio, each with there own thoughts. Kenshin, about the task that lies ahead, can he protect his loved ones, and save Japan at the same time? Kaoru, dwelling on the past, could she really trust this man claiming to be an officer of Saitou's? The officer, wondering what Captain Fujita is planning at that very moment.

-

Saitou sneezed, damn the fool who was talking about him!

He had been thinking everything over, hopefully the raccoon wouldn't mess this up. He wouldn't have anyone else caught up mess in this Subaru had created. It was bad enough he had to stoop so low as to ask for the Battousai's assistances, but the fact that he had to leave getting him out without anyone following him to Kaoru was a sad prospect. But the alternative was much worse, especially if it meant working with the weasel girl, and the Okashira. He shuttered, the thought of Misao coming within a fifty foot radius of him was just too much, that girl was just too happy, and loud for her own good.

He looked down at the mansion; it was at the base of a cliff, 'No doubt having a tunnel escape route, the coward.' Saitou thought to himself. Below he could see men by the hundreds going through what looked like drills, 'Crazy freak of a coward,' he corrected his thoughts.

Subaru, he was not a smart man, nothing of the sort, but he had this commanding, and leadership roll about him. If his ideas weren't so twisted, and his belief's weren't based on dictatorship, and Darwinian philosophy ((A/N: I know this is like 20 years ahead of Darwin... but you get the point.)), he may have been a great leader. That fact made the mibu wolf shutter again, but what made him even more uneasy was Subaru's power to manipulate people. It had worked on those men down there. Saitou wasn't about to let the rest of Japan fall into that kind of trap.

Even if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

To be continued... 

A/N: I never miss my chance on making Kaoru yell at poor Kenshin :evil cackle: not that he doesn't deserve it sometimes. XD

Does anyone know if I spelled Kanryuu Takeda right? I let a friend borrow my manga so I couldn't check my spelling.

Until the next chapter!


	14. chapter 13

Disclaimer: Don't own, Don't sue!

A/N: Let's not go into how horrible my updatingthese stories has been lately, senior year is _frustrating_to say the least, and lets not evengo into my midterm for english and c.n. bio that looms over my head.

The plot is about to thicken mwahahahaha!

* * *

He sat staring out the window drinking his morning serving of Chinese black tea. 

'Fools' he thought looking down at the letter he held in his other hand. So the governments army thought it could take him on? How sorely mistaken they would find themselves to be.

"Sir?"

'Ah the broom headed Osakan has finally decided to grace me with his presence.' Subaru didn't even spare the man a glance, "What do you want?"

"The Himura child, sir," Chou hated playing submissively towards a pompous man like Subaru, he would rather slit the man's throat, but if he did that, he was sure Saitou would slit his.

"What about the brat?" As far as he knew the kid should be safe and sound on the fifth floor...

"He's gone."

Subaru just stared at Chou for a minuet without saying a word, "Gone?" He asked finally, his voice sounding amused.

"Yes, kidnapped sir." Chou didn't like the tone of Subaru's voice.

"Kidnapped, you say?" Subaru replied calmly, he approached Chou until they were face to face, "Tell me, how is it that you lose a kid who has twelve bodyguards, and two nannies taking care of him?"

"I don't know sir," Chou replied taking a step back, there was something about this man that gave off an aura of choking insanity. "I just know that he is gone."

"Well," Subaru said still too calmly, "I suggest that you find the whelp before I decide which testicle of yours I should mount on my fireplace."

Chou said nothing, he just stared at the man, it was official, he was defiantly insane.

"I also suggest that you leave now, otherwise I will take both of them, you do have two do you not?"

Chou balled his fist but bowed and left the room without another word. He much liked his anatomy the way it was, thank you very much.

As soon as the broom head closed the door behind him, Subaru flung his half filled teacup at the stone wall. "Damn it!" he hissed; now he had to refigure his plans, and that would take time that he just didn't have at the moment. He had enough to worry about, Chou was a traitor, there was no doubt about that, but there was another. Someone was leaking information to his enemy, and once he found out who the serpent was, he would be sure to cut off his head.

0-0-0

Saitou leaned against a tree waiting for Chou, the man had better have some substantial information this time. He took a long drag from his cigarette to calm his nerves. "It took you long enough," He stated flatly as the broom-head approached him from behind.

"Yeah well I had to deal with a few death threats before I could grace you with my presence."

Saitou didn't respond, he didn't feel like having small talk with the man.

"The Himura child has been kidnapped." Chou was to the point, better to say it now it might be less painful that way.

Saitou stopped mid-inhale of his cigarette, "kidnapped?" The wolf rounded on the blonde man, "What do you mean _kidnapped_? I know it doesn't mean that you failed your job watching the brat."

"Actually..."

"You had better find him soon, or whatever death threats you received earlier will look like heaven compared to what I will do to you." Saitou turned to walk off, "and if that doesn't suffice I am quite sure Battousai or his wife could think up something better to do with you."

Chou cringed at the thought, the Himura's, when provoked, are the scariest creatures known to man.

0-0-0

The trek had been a long and arduous one, but all the while Seiju's brother, whose name was Yuji, tried his best to tell them what he knew. "Captain Fujita has Subaru's land staked out, and is waiting for you before he does anything."

"What are we some kind of distraction?" Kaoru said rolling her eyes, 'Typical Saitou, the baka would do that wouldn't he?' She knew a little better than that however.

Kenshin held in a snort of laughter, He knew as well as Kaoru did, that Saitou would never use them as a distraction. The wolf hated to ask for their help in general, that just meant that he needed their help worse than he probably really wanted to admit.

"Yuji?" Kaoru asked, trying to fill the silence with conversation, "You are a police officer for the government right? Then why is your brother a follower of Subaru? I would think he would have more respect for his family than that."

"It is quite the opposite, actually." Yuji smiled, "I am the family traitor. My brother and my parents were all followers of Subaru, I guess you could call me a free thinker, or whatever, but I couldn't stand letting someone else control my life. I sought Captain Fujita offering my assistance and he made me a spy for him."

"Does your brother know about this?" Kaoru asked.

"No he never knew." Yuji frowned "My brother was asked by Subaru to infiltrate your dojo, and well you know what happened from there. When Seiju came back Subaru wasn't too happy that he had failed. Subaru determined that Seiju was too weak and he killed my brother."

0-0-0

Saitou grumbled to himself as he waited for Yuji to return with _them_. If the raccoon messed this up and had followers he would lose it. And Saitou never loses it, not willingly at least. 'Damn them! If it weren't for them I wouldn't be here, and damn that stupid Subaru, I hope Battousai forgets his vow and kills the bastard.' Today was not a good day. All Saitou wanted to do was go home to his wife and maybe even spend some quality time with his boys, how he missed them.

That thought just reminded him of the brat that had gone missing. He would need a lot of cigarettes today.

'About time they got here.' He thought lighting up a cigarette and taking in the smoke.

"Yuji, leave us."

"Yes Captain." The young officer left Kenshin and Kaoru to face Saitou, alone.

"Good job raccoon, it looks like you did well on getting battousai here without being followed..."

"How is my son?" Kaoru cut his insult short. To have her son, that was the only real reason she was there after all.

"To the point aren't you?" The mibu wolf took another long puff, "There is someone handling the situation as we speak."

"Situation!" This time both Kenshin and Kaoru spoke. Whenever someone like Saitou said that word, it was never a good thing.

"When you say situation you mean you have some undercover person looking after Kenji right?" Kaoru had a sinking feeling that that was not what he meant.

"No, there has been an unexpected turn of events..."

"Don't skirt around the subject, just get to the goddamn point!" Kaoru yelled, her husband took a step back, she could handle this herself, and he _really_ didn't feel like being an innocent casualty to her anger.

"The brats gone missing."

"Missing!"

"Is there an echo out here?"

Kaoru snapped, she stomped up to the wolf and grabbed the cigarette out of his mouth and snapped it in two; her blind rage blocking what small piece of logic she ever had. "How the hell did you manage to lose him!"

"I was not the one who lost him in the first place."

"Don't blame Kaoru," This was getting a little to far out of hand. "Who was in charge of our sons care?"

"Chou-"

"You left the sword hunter in charge of _my_ child!"

"Our child, Kaoru," Kenshin corrected her under his breath.

Kaoru shot him a death glare.

"Right got it." Kenshin replied meekly, there's only one word for the rurouni in that moment, whipped.

"I have him looking for the mini battousai as we speak."

"I resent that," Kenshin muttered defensively.

"You have a different task however." Saitou turned towards Kenshin directly getting down to business, as it were. "The army is preparing to attack the front gates of the mansion, when they do that I expect you to take the back way into the mansion and subdue Subaru yourself."

Kaoru coughed feeling a little left out of the conversation.

"You" Saitou didn't spare her a glance but still it was her he was speaking to, "Will be staying here raccoon, and if I find out that you have moved I will deal with you personally."

Kaoru went to knock the wolf upside the head but Kenshin did his best to hold back the fiery woman.

0-0-0

Subaru paced his office lazily sipping his chardonnay, as he noticed the march of the government's seemingly sparse regiment coming closer. "Ah so the fools think that they will be able to attack me in a full frontal battle." Opening the office door he faced a young guard, "Kyo there is to be an assault on my mansion, make sure that they don't get past the front gate."

"Sir!" And the guard named Kyo ran off down the hall to call the alarm.

Subaru smirked looking out his office window sipping his wine, "Here the sun will start to rise anew."

To be continued...

* * *

A/N: The real fun begins next chapter, **Special prize**: A bag of cookies if you can guess what happens to, or who has Kenji! 


	15. chapter 14

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue

A/N: Who has Kenji? Will it be revealed in this chapter? Or will I be evil and delay the truth? Mwahahahahahahaha!

Thank you to all of you who keep on reviewing!

I apologize about this chapter, it has to be one of the worse one's I have written for this story so far. Please bear with me, I promise the end is near XD

* * *

The sun was setting when Kenshin left, he had convinced Kaoru to stay behind. His battle with her seemed a little too easy, was this a bad sign for his upcoming one with Subaru? He hoped not. 

0-0-0

Kaoru was mad. Did she not just have a conversation with her husband pertaining to something very similar to this? She would show him, she would show all of them. Kamiya erm... Himura Kaoru would _not_ be left behind. Kaoru left when she was certain that Saitou had lead his battalion to the front gates.

She stealthily snuck up to the manor in the dead of night. Today must have been her lucky day, there was an open window and double her luck, she could actually reach it! As silently as she could, Kaoru vaulted through the window landing in a crouch looking for anyone who would attack her, but the room was empty.

'They must all be occupied by Saitou,' she surmised smirking at the wolf's plan, as she went to open the door across the room from the window she had entered through. Grabbing the handle she let out an inaudible yelp when someone grabbed her wrist.

"What do you think you are doing?" It was Yuji.

"Did you follow me?"

"Captain Fujita said to keep an eye on you," He replied simply. "He said you would do something like this."

"Well it's nice that Saitou cares." Kaoru mumbled sarcastically, not completely comfortable having Yuji being her babysitter.

"We need to get out of here, if Subaru finds you-"

"Indeed," Replied an amused voice that was neither Kaoru, nor Yuji. "It looks like you are too late Yuji, for I _have_ found the little bird."

Kaoru gulped, 'Just my luck to run into Subaru unprepared.'

"I am shocked, Hayao Yuji, a member of one of my most trusted families, is the rat. You boy will experience a fate worse that my little bird will."

"I will not go down without a fight." Yuji declared lunging at Subaru, "Run!"

Subaru backhanded the man, and grabbed for Kaoru in one swift motion. "I don't think so." Knocking the girl out he flung her limp body over his shoulder like a rag doll. He was going to have fun this time around, he would save Yuji for later, right now he had a little bird to torture.

0-0-0

Figures that this mansion would be hard to find your way around in, Kenshin was just grateful that this one didn't have any traps. He wasn't sure, but he could have sworn he had passed by that picture at least three times. 'Why couldn't Saitou give me a map?'

'Maybe he thought you were competent enough, guess he was wrong.' Well, well, his other side wants to talk today? Could his day get any worse?

Some one should have told Kenshin to knock on wood.

'Okay,' he thought to himself, 'I went left last time, so this time I will go right.' Boy was the rurouni on it today!

Slowly, Kenshin made his way through the shadows, creeping ever closer to Subaru. He hadn't felt such a need to bring a person to justice like this in a long time.

0-0-0

Saitou grumbled to himself, it was most likely something about idiots who don't know how to put up a good fight.

The barriers around the manor were easy to breakdown, and a pile of unconscious ahous -as he liked to call them- littered the ground in testament to his grumbling. He was directing whoever was idle to throw the fools into carts, and ship them off to be contained until they could be shipped off to a prison.

A few things were on his mind. The first being if the battousai had taken care of Subaru yet. Or, had he screwed up miserably and would be needing his help? He hoped not. The other thing lingering in the back of his mind was where the hell Chou was, how long did it take to locate a brat? Especially one that stuck out like a sore thumb (much like his idiot father).

0-0-0

He was tired, his feet hurt, and he still was no closer to finding the little monster than he was four hours ago.

Chou sat on a rock, the air was humid too, making his broom-like hair flop right in his face. 'Damn Saitou for putting me on baby duty!' he thought pathetically. He was having a pity party, and no one was going to stop him.

"Broom-head?" Except for maybe that.

"What the hell is a rooster like you doing here?" The worst of it was that the baka rooster wasn't alone, tagging along was a weasel, an iceman, and that brat kid, whatever his name was. "Go to hell!" His day just kept getting worse.

Having his balls chopped off by Subaru was looking pretty welcoming right now.

"Now that's not a nice thing to say," Misao said feeling the need to make Chou's day all the more painstaking. "So, Broom, or should I say mop, you know that hair just doesn't suite you..." She said at a mile per second, "Anyway," She continued slowing down a pace. "I know you're in on this, why don't you tell us which way Kaoru and Himura went?"

"The wolf had a suspicion that you would show up. He alerted every officer that, if they saw any of you, they were to arrest you on site." Chou rubbed his temples the weasel was not helping his newly developing migraine.

Aoshi grunted, it was probably his stone-faced form of a laugh, but it worked on Chou.

"Screw you all! I have _work_ to do. I don't have time to lead your asses anywhere."

"What kind of work, broom-head?" Yahiko chimed in.

"That would be classified information, brat." Chou stood up and popped his neck, as if limbering up for a fight.

"I think we should hold him down and unclassify the information, what do you say ice-man?" Sanosuke said approaching Chou with a dangerous glint in his eye.

"That has to be the best thing you thought of all day," Aoshi responded viciously, surprising everyone present, pulling out one of his kodachi he approached Chou. He was followed close behind by a kunai bearing weasel and a shinai carrying brat.

"Okay, yeesh, no need to get violent." Chou said backing down, "I am looking for the Himura's spawn, he's been kidnapped from Subaru."

"WHAT!"

And from that point on Chou's migraine got much worse.

0-0-0

Kaoru came to in a fuzzy haze that was reminiscent of the last time Subaru had abducted her. She was on something soft and had covers pulled up to her shoulders. She blinked a few times to clear her vision. What she saw made her stomach churn, she was facing Subaru, and lying in a western style bed.

"Nice to see you awake bird." His voice was soft, but to her it was dangerously soft.

"Oh my Kami!" She hissed out, before she scurried backwards until she hit a cold hard floor and backed all the way to the wall. Kaoru scrambled to her feet looking for something to use as a weapon. Spotting a vase she grabbed it and brandished it over her head.

"Now bird, you aren't actually thinking about taking me on with a vase are you?" His eyes played between amusement and disbelief. "I killed your brother easy enough and he had a sword at his side."

Kaoru threw it at his face distracting him long enough for her to grab the flimsy wooden chair beside her, and break it over the man's back ((a/n: it works, trust me)). It was enough to bring him down long enough to vault over him and run out into the hall where she was grabbed by something very strong, and very solid. Kaoru almost had it in her to scream, but the figure stopped her by clamping a callused hand over her mouth.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

To be continued...

* * *

A/N: Next chapter, all will be revealed mwahahaha! Oh and to let you know, someone will be having a bag of cyber-cookies of their choosing at the end of the next chapter. 


	16. chapter 15

Disclaimer: Guess what everybody! I don't own rk! What a shocker ne?

A/N: LAST CHAPTER! Okay that's not true... I have an epilogue and something special after that, but yeah...

I will be honest with you, I did not edit through this chapter so if you see any inconsistencies tell me... I am in the process of editing 'Oh Brother' and the beginning of this story right now so please bear with me.

* * *

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The hand slid from her mouth as the other let go of her wrist, Kaoru's first inclination was to whack the person who had grabbed her, but when she saw who it was she took a step backwards.

"Come with me," He started to walk away, but Kaoru didn't follow. "Do you want him to burst through that door? I won't rescue you if he does."

"Enishi." It was all that she could say as she stared at the white haired man.

"Nice to know you remember my name, now let's go."

Kaoru stared back at the door before she followed the man, 'From the frying pan into the fire is it?'

0-0-0

Kenshin made it up another flight of stairs and sighed when he realized that he was finally on the main floor. It was nearly sunrise now, and he had searched eight underground levels, why someone needed so many he didn't even want to fathom.

The sound of heavy pounding feet caught his attention. Kenshin scrambled to disappear into the shadows. As soon as he settled himself down, much larger than he remembered Subaru came charging down towards the main door and blindly flew it open.

"I will kill you!" He seemed to yell at no one, "Once I get my hands on-" Subaru may be a good manipulator, but when it came to not letting his anger get the best of him he tended to fail miserably, not to mention it made him a lot more stupid than your average person.

"Fucking idiot." That was all Saitou could say, he wasn't standing more than four feet away from the so called idiot as he burst through the doors and outside.

Saitou took advantage of his situation and easily knocked Subaru off of his feet and straight into lala land. "This is the great Subaru? Not much of a fight." Saitou sighed and lit up a cigarette, "So many people dead, because of this sick twisted bastard." For good measure Saitou kicked the man in the stomach before allowing a uniformed police officer to securely chain and gag Subaru.

"You can come out now Battousai." Saitou rolled his eyes staring at a deserted corner.

Kenshin appeared looking a little abashed, "Why did you ask for my help when you obviously didn't need it?"

"We'll talk about that later, but if I am correct your wife is wandering around here somewhere as well." Saitou gave directions to search every crevice of the mansion for anything that would be considered as evidence.

"Are you coming?" He shot Kenshin his usual wolf glare as he made his way upstairs.

0-0-0 ((a/n: can you say anti-climatic... don't worry about it though, I promise ))

"Where the hell are we going?" Kaoru glared at the white haired mans back as she followed him farther through Subaru's main garden.

"You'll see."

"You're not going to kidnap me again are you?"

"No, your much more trouble than you are worth, Battousai surely deserves you."

"I didn't know you had an actual sense of humor." Kaoru growled.

"Sshh, we're almost there," Enishi slowed his pace as they started to walk towards a section of the garden holding beautiful western flowers, it was a wonder such beautiful things could thrive in the presence of a man like Subaru.

Kaoru blinked and looked ahead of the white haired man. She almost cried at the sight; it was Kenji, and he was sleeping so peacefully on a little blanket. His red hair bound in it's usual fashion he was still wearing the purple gi that he had worn when she had lost him. Sitting next to her baby was Yuji vigilantly watching over the sleeping babe.

"My baby..." She forgot about everything else in that moment, and ran towards her child, cradling him close to her heart. "Never again," she whispered promisingly as tears of joy flowed freely down her cheeks.

"Ga!" Kenji gurgled waking up and recognizing her face automatically. Knotting his baby fists into her gi he snuggled into her chest for warmth and fell back to sleep.

"Enishi... why?" Wouldn't this be an act against his personal moral codes?

Enishi just smiled and looked up at the early morning sky. "You were right."

"Eh?"

"You told me that my sister, all she wanted was for me to live and be happy, I didn't believe it before, I'm not sure why, but I just didn't. My sister would want me to be happy, right?"

Kaoru smiled and nodded. It was about time that he finally understood!

"I know what I did to you and Battousai can never be forgiven, I wanted to try to make amends, I know that can never really happen, but it's a start. That child you hold he is the future, my sister would be proud to know that I helped save that, and that is all that I need."

"I..." Kaoru was at a loss for words. "But tell me... how did you know that Kenji wasn't dead?"

"Because I can think like a mad man. I was one ya know."

'_Was_?' Kaoru thought but she kept her qualm silent.

"I am going to leave now," Enishi smiled at nothing in particular. "Start my life over again, maybe I will go to America, I here it's the land of opportunity." Enishi gave Kaoru a genial smile and waved as he walked off into the distance. ((a/n: just wondering, would anyone else get creeped out by that or just me?))

0-0-0

Saitou peered out of the large window in one of Subaru's offices, it just so happened that this particular fourth floor window looked out to the gardens. "It figures."

"Oro?" Kenshin, who had been looking in the room across the hall, and walked in as Saitou motioned down towards a woman standing in the garden holding a flaming haired child.

Saitou rolled his eyes as he looked to the vacant spot where the rurouni had been standing moments ago.

0-0-0

Somewhere in the middle of nowhere a large chunk of the Kenshin-gumi was tired, sweaty and very, very lost.

"Broom why the hell aren't we there yet?" Sano mumbled as the trudged on.

"..." Chou had decided not to answer, his migraine had gotten much worse in the process of the journey back to base.

"Hey look!" Misao pointed at the tip of a mansion that could be seen in the distance.

"About time!" Yahiko said wiping the sweat off of his brow.

0-0-0

Kaoru looked at Yuji, "How did you get away from the mansion?"

"Mr. Enishi helped me, he told me that he knew where your child was, he lead me here where the kid was sleeping." Yuji motioned to the blanket that was still sprawled out on the ground.

"I see, thank you Yuji, um I think you should report to Saitou and tell him you found Kenji." Yuji looked about ready to argue but Kaoru held up a hand to silence him. "No one will find me out here, that is the reason why Enishi picked this spot."

Yuji reluctantly nodded his head and ran off to the front gate.

Kaoru looked down at her child sleeping peacefully and smiled softly feeling truly happy for the first time in a very long time.

"What a beautiful sight."

"Kenshin..." She didn't need to look up to see the look she knew was on his face.

"It's over now."

Finally it _was_ over.

"I know." Kaoru looked up smiling sweetly.

"Saitou will want to talk to us it seems that we weren't as important as he pretended."

"Figures." Kaoru snorted rolling her eyes as she followed her husband back towards the mansion.

0-0-0

"It's over!" Sanosuke, Misao, Yahiko and Chou all shouted looking at the lack of battle and of the one and only Subaru bound in chains.

Aoshi just grunted as he headed towards the inside of the mansion, there was no use just gawking.

0-0-0

"So..." Kenshin and Kaoru were staring at Saitou, who was reading through one of Subaru's books. "Why exactly did you ask our help when you obviously didn't need it?"

"Logic."

"Logic?" Kaoru quirked an eyebrow as she shifted Kenji into her other arm.

"Do you think I could actually get by apprehending Subaru alone, when he had your spawn? Whether I included you or not you would have come here, and if I included you I could keep a better eye on you."

"I feel so honored that we're so predictable, how about you Kenshin?" Kaoru said as she refraining herself from choking Saitou with her free hand.

"..." If there was one thing Kenshin hated, it was being used.

"Raccoon," Saitou snapped pulling out a small note book and pen from his pocket, "Where did you find your brat?" Saitou was jotting down notes, obviously it was pertinent information, or at least Kaoru liked to pretend that's what it was.

"Yuji found him, you should give the guy some credit." Kaoru smiled at the visible twitch in Saitou's eyebrow. She decided that she would tell Kenshin about Enishi later, she felt it wasn't best to speak of it in front of Saitou at least.

"If you are done," Kaoru said tersely, "I think it is time for us to go home, don't you think so Kenshin?"

"There's not much else we can do." Kenshin smiled at his wife as he put his arm around her shoulders and headed towards the entrance hall.

0-0-0

"Kenshin!" Yahiko called from the base of the staircase.

"Oro?" Kenshin muttered characteristically "What are you guys doing here?"

"We came here to help you of course!" Misao exclaimed throwing her hands in the air.

"I hate to tell you all this, but there's nothing to do, it's time to go home." Kaoru said, trying not to laugh as her friends faces all dropped.

0-0-0

Days passed and things settled back in to what could be considered normalcy at the Kamiya dojo. Kaoru and Yahiko began to train students again. All of whom made the Kamiya Kasshin master proud.

Kaoru waved off her students at the front gate. She was still leaning against the dojo gates staring at nothing when her husband totting their child, and groceries from the market.

"Are you alright?" He asked noticing her glassy-eyed look.

Kaoru blinked and smiled at him, how cute he looked with Kenji on his shoulders playing idly with his father's hair. "I was just thinking."

"About what?" Kenshin asked curiously as he took Kenji off of his shoulders and let the child play with the caterpillar that was scooting past a crack in the walkway.

"How nice of a feeling it is not to feel lost anymore."

The End... (For now)

* * *

A/N: stay tuned! There is an epilogue/Subaru interrogation to come I promise you! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. 


	17. Epilogue and Special Ending

The epilogue for this story is all about Saitou's interrogation and what actually happens to Subaru, because I know you all want to know what happens to the evil man.

Remember this is the late 1800's, so some of the scientific theory of evolution has grown since then...

* * *

It's never over is it? 

Saitou paced the floor in the interrogation room, Subaru was grating his nerves. They had been at it for weeks and the man wouldn't say a single useful thing.

"Why?" Saitou spat out again to the chained oaf.

"I've already told you, it is my fate." Subaru kept calm, he just glared at Saitou as the wolf kept on trying to interrogate him.

"Yes, I know 'it's your fate' but why? Tell me you idiot, what makes you tick?" The wolf had to refrain from physical coercion to get what he wanted. The last time he did it the poor fool who undermined him lost more than his freedom. "If you don't say anything, you ahou, I will make sure that your 'fate' is cut short."

"Humans are nothing more than apes with larger brains, we are susceptible to nature. We are nothing more than animals. Tell me, have you ever heard of survival of the fittest?"

"..."

"I once met a western man on my travels near the Americas," Subaru continued, "He told me about this philosophy of natural selection where the strong of the species will survive and supersede the weak."

"Continue." Saitou said tersely.

"Humans, we are nothing more than animals, our only purpose is to procreate and create a generation that will be stronger than the one before it. I wanted to create that with my own two hands. A generation that is perfect, flawless. With that, Japan could rule the world as it is rightfully meant to since the dawn of time."

"And how would you have done this?" The thought that kept turning over in his mind was what a freak this one was.

Subaru's face was plastered with a crazy smile, "The child of the strongest of our species, will have the best chance of bringing on that perfection."

"The Himura brat." Saitou rolled his eyes, "So you kidnapped the kid so you could brainwash it and use him to your benefit, I don't know if you've noticed this but his mother isn't anywhere close to perfect." This man was insane to think that that child was the spawn of the strongest, obviously this man needed a few lessons. Subaru was defiantly working his way to an insanity plea.

"His mother _is_ perfect," Saitou snorted at this. "And his father the Bakumatsu's invincible warrior, where would I go wrong?"

Saitou fought with himself not to reply. The only way possible was to stick a cigarette in his mouth and light up. ((A/N: f-ing chain-smoker!))

"Tell me, what will you do with me now that you have me?"

"I am not done with you yet." Saitou spat his cigarette out at the big mans feet, "Normally I don't go above my authority, but I am going to give you a thirty second head start, and then I will show you the true meaning of survival of the fittest."

...The End...

**EXTRA SPECIAL ENDING!**

A/N: This ending is for you bscl43, way back when I asked people to vote on Subaru's fate you left a very good idea... and I must say the idiot deserves it! So, this ending is for you!

**WARNING: this is not for the faint of heart it has a lot of gore! This section is defiantly rated R! **

**Do not readif you liked Subaru (oh the horror!), or if you hate carnage.**

* * *

Subaru was running as fast as his legs could carry him, but slowly he was losing. He was sure he had lost that crazy mibu wolf, but it seemed as soon as he did _real_ wolves were on his tail. It may have been just his imagination but he thought they looked hungry too. 

Finally finding a river he waded across it in hopes of the beasts losing his scent. Climbing out of the cold water some time later he made his way up a forested hill. He sighed resting his exhausted body under an outcropping of rocks.

"I'm safe." He muttered to himself catching his breath.

"Is that what you really believe?"

"Who's there?" The large man looked around frantically trying to find the origin of the voice.

"You have spent too much time making people suffer you little prick, now it's my turn." Something moved with such speed and grace that Subaru didn't see what was coming until he felt a sharp pain at the base of his skull.

0-0-0

Consciousness came back to him slowly. When he got all sensation back he realized that he was bound to what seemed to be an old wooden chair.

"Good morning, you baka."

"Who are you?" He croaked to the shadow, not being able to see the face of his captor.

"You're worst nightmare." It was then that Subaru noticed that surrounding him was the pack of wolves that had chased him earlier.

"What are you going to do to me?" He was obviously now subject to his captors every whim.

He heard a malicious cackle, "You'll just have to see." The person stepped forward brandishing what looked like a double edged dagger.

His vision seemed to blur before he felt a sharp pain stem from his pinky. It was then he realized what his captor's intention was, they were going to _dismember_ him.

"Oh puppies," the captor crooned to the wolves lying eagerly at Subaru's feet "Who's hungry?"

It was to his horrifying realization that his captor was waving his appendage for the canines to see. Dropping it with a sickening thud on the floor they continued to remove his nine other fingers and feed them to the loyal wolves.

"Please! I beg you stop!" He cried pitifully.

"Oh, are we asking for mercy? Tell me, what kind of mercy did you give the ones you killed?"

"Please! I'll repent just stop!"

"Mmm..." she pondered for a moment, "Nope I don't think I will." ((A/N: don't tell me you thought I would have them 'pull a Kenshin'))

Through his tear filled eyes he thought he saw a sadistic grin. There was no hope, he could only pray that the crazy cop would find him and finish him off, Aku. Soku. Zan. seemed very comforting right now.

"You are becoming more talkative than I thought, but I think we can fix that." Subaru knew what was coming, he clamped his Jaws tight but it was no use; his captor pried his mouth open with what seemed to be super human strength and proceeded to slice his tongue away. "You know I was going to tear out your eyes but I think I will let you keep them for now." It was said so nonchalantly as she tossed the tongue to the ground, the wolves, thankful for such a delicacy quickly gobbling it up.

Through all of the pain, it was a wonder he hadn't passed out, but it seemed like his mind was beyond that now. He had become numb, but he was mildly aware that he was being put down on what seemed to be a plank of some kind, so that he was lying down.

With a surgeon's precision, his captor took the dagger and slit a long line across his belly. A searing pain one worse than what was felt during the removal of his fingers shot through his body.

He cried out a spluttered sob, the blood pool forming in his mouth from his severed tongue was forced down his throat as he whimpered. He felt something slide inside his bellies incision and with a renewed sensation of fiery pain he felt something being drawn out.

His faced grayed even more (if that was even possible now) when he saw that it was his innards that were being drawn from his body. His vision was turning red and bleak when he saw his captor croon once more to their faithful beasts giving them yet another treat.

He wasn't sure but she may have said something to him he just spluttered in acknowledgment, anything to make the pain stop.

The last thing that Subaru would ever see was a bloodied dagger descending towards his right eye.

Goodbye Subaru. Rest in pieces.

* * *

A/N: I couldn't say his captor's name seeing how we are no longer allowed to work authors/reviewers into the story so I just kept with "His Captor" I hope you are pleased with his fate bscl43, I loved the idea. 

**People who get a bag of cookies for guessing that Kenji's 'savior' was Enishi:**

Rivertam, Rae.

**Thank you to all of my reviewers, you all get a cookie!**

K.Hall, animegurl23, Himura Hotaru, Adrenaline Shockwave, Southpaw, Star0704, bscl43, Erica,hv, kao-girl, Erica6060, rivertam, nekotsuki, Aya45, Estel-Elf-Lover, Starlit, It's ME, Anonymous, Brittanie Love, Bunny, Shauntell, Royal blueKitsune, Tameka-tanuki-jouchan.

Sorry if I forgot anyone, if I did you get two cookies.

And to 'a very pissed off person': for your lack of imagination in chapter 6 you get arsenic and battery fluid in your cookie because I just don't like you.


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